Diabetic foot ulcer issues are rampant, affecting over 40 million people with diabetes globally. Such health problems lead to amputations and chronic foot ulcers in diabetic patients, lowering their quality of life and decreasing their mortality rate. Diabetic foot ulcers are a severe medical condition that requires professional Bakersfield wound care.
Ulcers are caused by a lack of blood flow to the foot. This can occur due to poor circulation in the feet, or it can be due to damage to the nerves in the feet or legs that control walking and standing.
There are several different types of diabetic foot ulcers, including:
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD): PVD is when arteries that supply blood to the extremities get blocked by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The blockage causes reduced blood supply to tissues, which leads to tissue death and gangrene. This diabetic foot ulcer usually appears on one side of the foot or leg and eventually spreads over time.
Neuropathy: Neuropathy refers to damage to nerves that control movement and sensation in the feet and legs. This diabetic foot ulcer causes pain but does not lead to tissue death unless it is severe enough to cause nerve damage and gangrene.
What are the causes of diabetic foot ulcers?
Poor glycemic: Poor glycemic control may contribute to the development of foot ulcers. In addition, diabetic patients who have poor glycemic control are at risk for other complications, including kidney disease.
Infection: Foot ulcers can occur due to infections such as skin infections (such as cellulitis) or systemic infections (such as pneumonia). Diabetic foot ulcers are more common in people with diabetes than those without diabetes.
Trauma: A traumatic injury to the skin that causes damage to the underlying tissue and allows bacteria or fungi to enter can trigger an infection or contribute to further damage by allowing an abscess to form.
What is the best treatment for diabetic foot ulcers?
Surgical procedures. They include;
Skin grafting: A skin graft is taken from another body part and attached to the ulcer site. Skin grafts have been proven to heal more quickly than other types of surgery, but they are not always necessary.
Limb-sparing surgery: This procedure involves removing unhealthy tissue from above or below the ulcer without removing it from the skin’s surface. Limb-sparing surgery can help prevent amputation, which might be needed if you have a difficult-to-heal ulcer that doesn’t respond well to other treatments.
Medications
Medications are used to treat diabetic foot ulcers and are divided into three groups:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or naproxen, control inflammation, and pain and help prevent tissue damage by reducing blood flow to the area.
- Antibiotics inhibit the growth of bacteria in wounds.
- Injections of local anesthetic (surgical block) in the affected area.
If you have diabetes, you are more likely to get a foot ulcer. And if you have a foot ulcer, the odds are that you will need to see a specialist to offer the proper treatment. Link up with Diabetic Foot and Wound Center for help with your diabetic foot ulcer.
