
Why Experienced Diabetic Wound Care Matters

Diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels, but it doesn’t just affect your blood sugar. Diabetes can affect all parts of your body from your kidneys to your vision to your feet.
If you have diabetes and develop a wound on your foot, receiving experienced diabetic wound care can help you avoid the unwanted complications.
At Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, our team of podiatrists excels at treating diabetic wounds with the most advanced techniques and technologies.
Below, we discuss diabetic wounds, their dangerous complications, and how we treat them.
What is a diabetic foot ulcer?
A diabetic foot ulcer is a wound or open sore. These wounds frequently form on the bottom of the foot, and they develop in about 15% of people with diabetes.
Because diabetes can eventually restrict the blood flow to your lower limbs and damage your nerves, wounds become problematic for two reasons:
- Nerve damage leaves your feet numb (you don’t feel the injury)
- Reduced circulation leads to slow-healing wounds
Diabetic foot wounds are common, but if you seek prompt podiatric care at the first sign of a sore, you can avoid unwanted complications. Ideally, you should inspect your feet daily for any signs of sores, blisters, or cuts.
The dangers of diabetic foot ulcers
Diabetic ulcers are serious. As many as 6% of those with foot ulcers are hospitalized each year due to an infection or complication of the ulcer. Complications of diabetic wounds include:
- Infections
- Gangrene, which is tissue death
- Amputations
As diabetes cases in the United States continue to increase, researchers report that the number of diabetes-related amputations has jumped 50% in a six-year period. This makes diabetic wounds the No. 1 cause of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations.
Diabetic wounds don’t necessarily start off as a serious injury. Even a blister can cause problems if it doesn’t heal properly.
How diabetic wounds are treated
Although it’s tempting to apply an over-the-counter ointment and bandage, this isn’t enough to adequately treat a diabetic wound.
Here at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, we provide both surgical and nonsurgical wound care to ensure your diabetic wounds heal properly. Depending on your condition, we may suggest a combination of the following treatments:
- Debridement, which involves a thorough cleaning and removal of any dead tissues
- Dressings, bandages, and topical medication (such as antibiotics)
- Bioengineered skin substitutes
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is designed to help your body take in more oxygen to promote healing and fight off infections.
During your hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you breathe in 100% oxygen from inside a pressurized chamber. This quickly increases the concentration of oxygen in your bloodstream, which then delivers the oxygen to your wound site for improved healing.
Advanced treatments such as bioengineered skin substitutes and oxygen therapy can spell the difference between infection, gangrene, or amputation and a healthy foot. Our experienced podiatrists ensure that you receive the most up-to-date and effective treatments.
To learn more about diabetic wounds or any of our advanced treatment options, contact us at any of our locations throughout southeastern Florida. We are conveniently located in Tamarac, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Coral Springs, and Hollywood.
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