Foot ulcers are very worrisome when it comes to a diabetic patient. You need to treat them immediately so that it doesn’t get worse, which may lead to hospitalization, surgery, and in rare cases amputation. Thus, it is better that you book an appointment with the foot and ankle specialist Orange County who will help detect the foot ulcers early and will start with the treatment plan.
What is a diabetic ulcer?
A diabetic ulcer is a kind of open sore or wound that usually occurs at the bottom of the foot in about 15% of diabetic patients. This may happen due to various factors like lack of blood flow in case of diabetes or due to some lifestyle choices. If such things happen, it is always better to seek immediate help from your doctor or a podiatrist.
Dr. Sima Soltani is one of the experienced podiatrists who can help you with your wound care Orange County. She is a specialized doctor who provides operation-less treatments. With around 20 years of experience, she is treating patients with any kind of foot and ankle problems.
What are the reasons for these foot ulcers?
The various factors involved in causing foot ulcers include:
- Numbness in foot
- Poor blood circulation
- Foot problems or deformities
- Irritation in foot
- Some kind of trauma
- Period to which diabetes is caused
What are the various ways to treat this foot ulcer?
A podiatrist will recommend the following ways to treat the foot ulcer:
- Firstly, the podiatrist will prescribe an antibiotic ointment that will help in case of any infection in the foot ulcer. If the infection has been spread out deep inside the skin or even to the bones, then the podiatrist will recommend a strong antibiotic that needs to be taken orally.
- Once the infection has been treated, the podiatrist will now go ahead and wrap up the wound. Before that, he/she may apply some specific dressing depending on your condition. This includes hydrogels, antimicrobial dressing, moist dressing, alginate dressing, etc. For example, in case of venous ulcers that are caused due to improper functioning of venous valves are often covered with compression dressings. Once this is done, the wound is wrapped up to protect it from any external trauma or germs.
- After the dressing, the work of the podiatrist is to have regular check-ups with the patient, especially when the wound is at its worst. The doctor will have to change the dressings and need to check if everything is fine and if there are no other ulcers developed in any other place. They need to make sure that everything is fine and that the wound is healing well with no further complications. Once everything is under control, the doctor will make your appointments less frequently till the wound is healed completely.
- Changing the dressings is going to be a little painful at the beginning which might cause some discomfort for you. So, the podiatrist will recommend some painkillers to make it less painful. This will also depend on the type of your treatment and any other medical conditions that you may have.
- Natural healing is always preferred by the podiatrist. They will try their best to get the wound care done without any surgical treatment required. But still, if this doesn’t work out, in rare cases then the podiatrist will recommend an operation or a surgical procedure. This will include regular debridement which is removing the infected tissues or many times even amputation which might happen in serious cases.
What are the ways to prevent infection?
To keep your ulcer from getting infected you can follow the below steps:
- Keep your blood glucose level under control
- Make sure that you clean your ulcer and get it bandaged
- Cleanse the wound regularly and do dressing and bandage it
- Do not apply pressure on your foot
- Do not walk barefoot
Most patients will be recommended to wear foot gear, braces, or specialized castings. They might also be asked to use wheelchairs or crutches. These methods will reduce pressure in the affected area and help to speed up the healing of the wound.
Remember, ulcers heal better when they are kept out of infection and are covered and kept moist. Taking the best treatment at the right time will always be advisable. Call your Orange County wound care specialist for an early appointment.
