Items filtered by date: December 2024
Wound Care
Diabetics must be wary of all wounds, regardless of depth or size. Diabetes, a chronic disease in which the body cannot properly use glucose the way it normally would, causes various complications that make wounds difficult to heal. Nerve damage or neuropathy will cause diabetics to have trouble feeling the pain of a blister or cut until the condition has significantly worsened or become infected. A diabetic’s weakened immune system can make even the most minor of wounds easily susceptible to infection. Diabetics are also more prone to developing narrow, clogged arteries, and are therefore more likely to develop wounds.
Wounds should be taken care of immediately after discovery, as even the smallest of wounds can become infected if enough bacteria build up within the wound. To remove dirt, wounds should be first rinsed under running water only. Soap, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine can irritate the injury and should be avoided. To prevent infection, apply antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover it with a bandage. The bandage should be changed daily. The skin around the wound may be cleaned with soap.
To prevent further exacerbation, see a doctor—especially if you have diabetes. Minor skin conditions can become larger problems if not properly inspected. As the wound heals, make sure to avoid applying pressure to the affected area.
The Risk of Foot Ulcers Among Diabetics
Diabetic foot ulcers pose a severe health threat, often triggered by peripheral neuropathy, which diminishes sensation and allows unnoticed injuries to progress. Compromised blood flow, a hallmark of diabetes, further delays healing and heightens infection risk. These ulcers are evaluated using detailed grading systems, guiding interventions such as surgical debridement to excise diseased tissue, advanced wound dressings to optimize healing, and off-loading techniques to alleviate pain. Infection control is of utmost importance, along with meticulous glycemic regulation to curb inflammation and promote recovery. Surgical intervention, including reconstruction or amputation, may become necessary in extreme cases. Prevention remains key to the management of diabetic foot ulcers. If you are diabetic, it is strongly suggested that you include a podiatrist on your healthcare team who can teach you about vigilant foot care, provide routine monitoring, and care for any foot problems before more severe complications arise.
Wound care is an important part in dealing with diabetes. If you have diabetes and a foot wound or would like more information about wound care for diabetics, consult with one of our podiatrists from DeCaro Total Foot Care Center. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
What Is Wound Care?
Wound care is the practice of taking proper care of a wound. This can range from the smallest to the largest of wounds. While everyone can benefit from proper wound care, it is much more important for diabetics. Diabetics often suffer from poor blood circulation which causes wounds to heal much slower than they would in a non-diabetic.
What Is the Importance of Wound Care?
While it may not seem apparent with small ulcers on the foot, for diabetics, any size ulcer can become infected. Diabetics often also suffer from neuropathy, or nerve loss. This means they might not even feel when they have an ulcer on their foot. If the wound becomes severely infected, amputation may be necessary. Therefore, it is of the upmost importance to properly care for any and all foot wounds.
How to Care for Wounds
The best way to care for foot wounds is to prevent them. For diabetics, this means daily inspections of the feet for any signs of abnormalities or ulcers. It is also recommended to see a podiatrist several times a year for a foot inspection. If you do have an ulcer, run the wound under water to clear dirt from the wound; then apply antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover with a bandage. Bandages should be changed daily and keeping pressure off the wound is smart. It is advised to see a podiatrist, who can keep an eye on it.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in West Hatfield, MA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Various Causes of Ankle Pain
Ankles are joints that connect bones in the feet with bones in the lower leg. They are comprised of bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves. The ankle joint allows the foot to move side-to-side, as well as up-and-down.
Ankle pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, but is most commonly due to soft tissue injuries such as ankle sprains and strains.
An ankle sprain occurs when one or more of the strong ligaments that support and stabilize the ankle become overly stretched or even torn if the ankle rolls, turns, or twists awkwardly. Depending on the grade of sprain (mild-moderate-severe), there will be varying degrees of pain, swelling, and restricted range of motion, along with tenderness, bruising, and ankle instability. There may even be an audible popping noise at the moment of injury.
Ankle strains can sometimes produce similar symptoms of pain, swelling, and loss of motion, however, they are due to overly stretched muscles and tendons—not ligaments. Ankle strains may also cause muscle cramps in the feet, calves and shins.
Ankle fractures are another common source of ankle pain and occur one or more of the three bones in the ankle become fractured (broken). These breaks can be stress fractures (due to repetitive stress) or traumatic fractures (due to an acute injury). Depending on where and how severe the fracture is, symptoms can include pain and swelling that can sometimes spread up to the knee, bruising or discoloration, and an inability to bear weight. A visible deformity or exposed bone may occur in severe fractures.
Various forms of arthritis may also cause ankle pain. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes the immune system to attack healthy joints, like the ankle joint, by mistake, causing stiffness and swelling in both ankles. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage covering the ends of bones wears down, causing the bones to rub against each other. This results in pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion in the ankle. Gout is a form of arthritis where excess amounts of uric acid in the bloodstream crystallize and build up on joints, causing severe pain and swelling. Reactive arthritis causes joint pain and swelling in the ankle in response to an infection in another part of the body.
Other forms of ankle pain include bursitis (an inflammation of a cushioning bursa sac between tendons and bone), scleroderma (a thickening of connective tissues), chronic ankle instability (caused by improperly healed ankle sprains), Achilles tendon injuries, flat feet, or an infection in the ankle.
Explaining Ankle Impingement Injuries
Ankle impingement is a painful condition where soft tissues or bony structures in the ankle become pinched, often following repetitive activities or past injuries like sprains. Ankle impingement can be categorized as anterior or posterior impingement, depending on the location of the pain. Anterior impingement is commonly seen in runners and athletes who frequently bend the ankle upward. This action causes pain in the front of the ankle, particularly during cutting or pivoting motions. Posterior impingement affects the back of the ankle. It is often experienced by dancers and athletes who repeatedly point their toes downward. Symptoms include swelling, reduced range of motion, and discomfort with specific movements. A podiatrist can diagnose ankle impingement through an examination and use X-rays or MRI scans to identify the cause and location of the pain. Treatment options include targeted exercises, orthotics, injections to reduce pain, and in some cases, surgery to restore ankle function. If you are suffering from ankle pain, it is suggested that you schedule an appointment with a podiatrist for treatment.
Ankle pain can be caused by a number of problems and may be potentially serious. If you have ankle pain, consult with one of our podiatrists from DeCaro Total Foot Care Center. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
Ankle pain is any condition that causes pain in the ankle. Due to the fact that the ankle consists of tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments, ankle pain can come from a number of different conditions.
Causes
The most common causes of ankle pain include:
- Types of arthritis (rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, and gout)
- Ankle sprains
- Broken ankles
- Achilles tendonitis
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Stress fractures
- Bursitis
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Plantar fasciitis
Symptoms
Symptoms of ankle injury vary based upon the condition. Pain may include general pain and discomfort, swelling, aching, redness, bruising, burning or stabbing sensations, and/or loss of sensation.
Diagnosis
Due to the wide variety of potential causes of ankle pain, podiatrists will utilize a number of different methods to properly diagnose ankle pain. This can include asking for personal and family medical histories and of any recent injuries. Further diagnosis may include sensation tests, a physical examination, and potentially x-rays or other imaging tests.
Treatment
Just as the range of causes varies widely, so do treatments. Some more common treatments are rest, ice packs, keeping pressure off the foot, orthotics and braces, medication for inflammation and pain, and surgery.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in West Hatfield, MA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
