What are the signs that I need diabetic wound care?
Some signs that you need diabetic wound care include:
- A new wound isn’t healing
- Wound growing larger
- Fluid or blood on your socks
- Foot swelling
- Warm-feeling foot
- Odor coming from the foot
You can't necessarily rely upon foot pain to tell you if you need diabetic wound care. Many people with diabetes have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, in which numbness is common. So, you could have an open foot wound with no signs of pain at all.
If you have any open wounds, it's important to schedule an appointment at Rhode Island Foot Care as soon as possible. Because diabetes compromises your healing abilities, you may need special treatment to prevent the wound from worsening and to encourage full healing.
What does diabetic wound care include?
At Rhode Island Foot Care, diabetic wound care focuses on healing your wound as quickly as possible. The podiatric care experts use a variety of protocols to encourage wound healing, including:
- Debridement - removing dead skin
- Topical medication
- Topical dressings
- Hyperbaric (oxygen) therapy
- Compression therapy
- Skin grafting
Start your wound care as early as possible for the most successful treatment. If you wait to get wound care, the wound can expand at the skin surface while also working its way deeper into your foot. This can potentially lead to foot or limb loss.
Where does diabetic wound care take place?
Rhode Island Foot Care offers extensive wound care services in all 15 office locations throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Additionally, the skilled podiatrists can come to you in the hospital if needed.
The Rhode Island Foot Care surgeons work at wound care centers, including Rhode Island Hospital Center for Wound Care and Hyperbarics in East Providence, the Comprehensive Wound Care Center at Fatima Hospital in Providence, and the Wound Care Center at Morton Hospital in Taunton, Massachusetts.
What should I do at home after wound care treatments?
Follow the team’s instructions closely to protect your healing wound. You’ll need to keep the dressings dry, change your bandages as-directed, and apply topical products with clean hands.
Off-loading — keeping the pressure off your wound — is also vitally important. The team may prescribe custom orthotics to help you get around comfortably without putting pressure on your wound.
Prescription diabetic shoes can help with the healing process, too. Rhode Island Foot Care partners with Aetrex®, Inc., to help you find shoes as part of the Medicare diabetic shoe program.
For diabetic wound care from compassionate board-certified doctors, call Rhode Island Foot Care or schedule online today.
