Hi, my husband is partially paralyzed on his left side. Since yesterday, his left ankle has swollen and both his left ankle and calf have turned red and inflamed looking. They are tender to the touch and he can barely put pressure on the leg. He also said they feel like they are burning. Please help me figure out what is wrong with his left foot and leg.
Since his left side is partially paralyzed the muscles are inactive and do not help in pumping the blood up the limb. Such a situation can bring about deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the calf. This needs a Doppler study for confirmation and your doctor will give you medication to decrease further clotting. There is also another possibility of a cellulitis (a bacterial skin infection)for which intravenous antibiotics are needed.