A person with diabetes has a lot they need to look out for and be aware of. If they have issues such as diabetic foot ulcers they need to seek diabetic wound healing services to help with these issues.
A diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore that will affect around 15 percent of people with diabetes. This wound is located on the bottom of the foot which can be rather painful. Six percent of people with this issue may need to be hospitalized.
Complications due to diabetes are one of the leading causes of amputations in the United States. There are some causes of diabetic foot ulcers and some options for their treatment.
People with diabetes and kidney issues, eye problems, and heart disease are the most likely to develop these ulcers. People that are overweight and drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes are also at an increased risk.
The ulcers may lead to a lack of feeling in the foot, poor blood circulation, deformities, irritation, and other trauma. People that have diabetes may no longer be able to feel pain in their foot due to nerve damage. They may not even be aware that they have this issue. Due to other complications, a person may not be able to heal and the body will not be able to fight off any infections.
Since a person may not feel the pain they may notice some fluid draining on your sock. There may also be redness and swelling on the foot. This is when a person should visit a diabetics wound healing center to have this issue treated by a medical professional.
The doctor will try to help the body heal this infection. They may recommend offloading. This will put a certain brace or cast on the foot and a person will need to stay off their foot until the professional state that it is healed. The doctor may want to remove some dead skin and tissue from around the area. This is known as debridement. There may be medications that can be applied to the ulcer along with a specific dressing. A person may also need to go back to the doctor to get help managing their blood glucose levels and any other complications that they may be dealing with.
The treatment and care of diabetic foot wounds have come a long way over the years. Instead of just letting the air hit the wound there are treatment methods that can help. If the wound is cared for and kept covered and moist it can heal faster with a reduced risk for infection. The medical professional will tell a person the appropriate care instructions to help them heal and prevent further complications. The doctor will properly dress the wound and they will apply the proper medication. They may also need to apply a skin substitute for additional healing.
There may be additional tests that need to be run to make sure there is circulation in the area where the ulcer has developed. This will be determined by a doctor. The doctor will also give additional information for controlling glucose levels so that the foot can heal properly and will allow the body to keep the ulcer from getting infected. If all other methods fail surgery may be needed.
These are some things that a person can do to help them with their care and healing. If a person is noticing wounds including foot ulcers they need to visit a diabetics wound healing center to help prevent or treat an infection.
