Wound Care

Why do I need wound care?

Comprehensive wound care is vital to the health of your feet. While proper wound care is important for everyone, it’s particularly important if you have diabetes.

When it comes to your feet and ankles, blood circulation slows down. This is a natural side effect of aging, but it also occurs because muscles and valves have to work against the force of gravity. It’s difficult for blood to circulate in and out of your furthest extremities — your feet.

This issue is exacerbated when you have diabetes. Not only is decreased blood circulation an issue, so is nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy). Combined, these problems increase your risk of slow-healing wounds that you may be unaware of, due to numbness from nerve damage.

Wound care is important early on if wounds do occur and to treat any ulcerated tissues you have. Your wound care plan from Southwest Foot & Ankle also focuses on preventive care, so you can lower your risk of limb-threatening foot wounds in the future.

When should I see a podiatrist for wound care?

If you notice any kind of foot wound, it’s important to come into Southwest Foot & Ankle as soon as possible for an evaluation. Without immediate medical intervention, your wound can become infected and ulcerated, which is much more complex to treat. If you’re experiencing any of the following problems, come into either clinic soon:

• Numbness or pain
• Inflammation or tenderness
• Shooting or electrical pains
• Drainage or blood in your socks
• Visible wound or redness near a toenail

Your podiatrist at Southwest Foot & Ankle spends ample time examining your wound and determining the best course of treatment for your needs.

How does a podiatrist treat wounds?

Treating a foot wound can be simple or complex, depending on whether you have an infection and how deep the wound may be. Your dedicated podiatrist examines you thoroughly and conducts any necessary screenings — sometimes imaging is necessary — to determine the extent of your foot wound and the underlying cause.

Foot wound care can involve:

• Removing dead or damaged tissues
• Cleansing your wound
• Applying topical antimicrobial solutions
• Bandaging your wound
• Counseling you about how to care for your wound at home
• Fitting you for custom orthotics or diabetic shoes

For more severe foot wounds, your podiatrist at Southwest Foot & Ankle might recommend a surgical procedure known as limb salvage. This procedure allows your podiatrist to remove damaged tissues at a deeper level and perform any necessary grafting to repair the area, which helps your foot wound thoroughly heal and often prevents an amputation.

Request your wound care examination at Southwest Foot & Ankle directly through the website. You can also call the office nearest you directly to schedule a wound care appointment.