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

• Bed rest for a long time
• Brace, cast, or splint use, which may increase your chances of damaging nerves or restricting blood flow
• Recent period of inactivity, such as long travel by plane or car
• History of a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) or in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
• History of peripheral arterial disease
• Pregnancy
• A problem or condition present since birth (congenital defect)
• Previous injury to the leg
• Previous surgery to the leg or to the lymph nodes in the groin
• 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 such as water pills, antipsychotic medicines, antiemetic medicines, estrogens, birth control pills, or nifedipine
• Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy to the leg or to the lymph nodes in the groin

Diseases

• Arthritis
• Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), or von Willebrand's
• Cancer
• Chronic swelling (edema) from any cause
• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia
• Heart disease
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Inherited bone disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Lupus
• Lyme disease
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Osteoporosis
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Septic bursitis
• Sickle cell disease