Venous Insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency develops when venous valves no longer keep blood moving effectively toward the heart. Blood flows backward when the person stands, so pressure remains elevated in the lower-leg veins. The calf-muscle pump normally helps empty these veins during walking; immobility, weakness, or painful movement reduces that assistance. Persistently high venous pressure pushes fluid into surrounding tissue, producing dependent edema and a feeling of heaviness or aching. Red blood cell leakage and chronic inflammation then damage the skin. Brown hemosiderin staining, venous eczema, induration, and lipodermatosclerosis are not merely cosmetic findings; they indicate prolonged tissue stress and a higher risk of ulceration. The typical ulcer is shallow, irregular, and located near the medial ankle or lower “gaiter” area. Without reducing venous pressure, dressings alone do not correct the force that keeps fluid accumulating and delays healing.