Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medications, 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 health professional.

Conditions

• A problem or condition present since birth (congenital defect)
• Impaired vision or blindness in one eye
• Previous injury
• Previous surgery to injured area
• Sinusitis
• Surgery to remove the spleen

Lifestyle choices

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

Medicines

• Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, or aspirin
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone or dexamethasone
• Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Arthritis
• Blood diseases, such as hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Inherited bone disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Lupus
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Osteoporosis
• Sickle cell disease