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)
• Previous injury to the affected area
• Previous surgery to the affected area
• Previous pulmonary embolism (PE)
• Previous deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Previous radiation treatments above or below the affected area
• Previous cellulitis
• Surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)

Lifestyle choices

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

Medications

• Blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection

Diseases

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Heart disease
• Heart failure
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Inherited bone disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Lupus
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteomyelitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Septic bursitis
• Sickle cell anemia