Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your doctor.

Conditions

• A problem or condition present since birth (congenital defect)
• Previous injury to the same area
• Previous surgery to the injured area
• Previous surgery to remove the lymph nodes above the injured area
• Previous surgery to remove the spleen

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Smoking or other tobacco use

Medicines

• Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy to the area or the lymph nodes above the injured area

Diseases

• Arthritis
• Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), or von Willebrand's
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Inherited bone disease
• Kidney disease
• Lupus
• Lyme disease
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Septic bursitis
• Sickle cell disease