Hi. My name is Sandra Newell. I’m a thirty-five-year-old professional. I’m telling you that I’m a professional because that will explain why I spent a good portion of my waking hours in shoes with high heels. I never wore extremely high heels, but did frequently wear those that were three inches high. That was until I developed horrible heel pain. My doctor heard me out and then sent me to a podiatrist. As it happened, I had a number of things going against me. I was wearing shoes that were too tight, too high, and didn't have any arch support. Moreover, I shouldn't leave out the fact that I wore pointy toed shoes that left me with a few ingrown toenails every year. I’m going to share what my podiatrist has done for me, and how he helped educate me in the art of wearing comfy, yet stylish shoes.
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Diabetic wounds have the potential to become serious. It's important to prevent injuries and infections in your feet when you have diabetes since you're at a higher risk of complications that could include amputation of a foot. Here's a look at why diabetic wounds form, how they're treated, and how to prevent them.
Why Diabetics Develop Wounds And Infections
Anyone can get an injury on their foot, and most people heal without serious complications. It's different when you have diabetes. Even a mild cut or puncture can develop into a bad infection. This happens because of the complications of diabetes that include reduced circulation in your feet and a loss of sensation.
When you can't feel pain in your feet normally, you won't notice small cuts or friction areas until they've developed into wounds. Once a wound has developed, it can be very slow to heal because of poor blood flow in your feet. This leads to infections of the wound that can spread through your foot, spread to the bone, or even develop into gangrene.
How Diabetic Wounds Are Treated
You should see your podiatrist right away when you have a foot injury or when you develop a friction scrape from shoes. Prompt and early treatment gives you the best chance at an easier recovery.
Your podiatrist may apply medications to the wound and bandage your foot. You might be instructed to change the bandage at home or you may need to return to your podiatrist for bandage changes so the podiatrist can monitor your recovery.
If tissue in and around the wound starts to die, the podiatrist may trim away the diseased tissue with each bandage change. You may also be told to use crutches or a wheelchair so you can avoid putting pressure on your foot and reducing blood circulation even more.
If your wound develops an infection, you might need to go to the hospital for more intensive treatments to heal the wound and to receive medications. A diabetic wound that doesn't heal can threaten your life, and if that ever happens, you may need to have a partial or full amputation.
How To Prevent Problems With Diabetic Wounds
There are two important components to preventing wounds. One is to keep your blood sugar under control and the other is to protect your feet. Your podiatrist will probably instruct you on proper foot care when you have diabetes. This might include never going barefoot, wearing shoes that fit properly, and checking your feet daily for signs of skin irritation and injury.
For more information on diabetic wounds, reach out to a local medical health professional.
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