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 toe, foot, or ankle condition present since birth (congenital defect)
• Previous injury
• Previous surgery to the injured area

Lifestyle choices

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

Medications

• Anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, or aspirin
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection

Diseases

• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP)
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteomyelitis
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Septic bursitis
• Sickle cell disease
• Venous insufficiency