Wound Care and Treatment

At Artisan Foot and Ankle Specialists, we recognize the importance of proper and timely wound care for any chronic, non-healing wounds, or ulcers to avoid amputation or gangrene.
Steps to Treat a Wound

Wound Care and Treatment

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Table of Contents

Introduction

With multiple locations across Orange County, our providers are ready to help you tackle your wound with an individualized treatment plan. For diabetics in particular, proper wound care is essential.

Know Your Wound

Our podiatrists will complete a thorough consultation and physical exam to diagnose your wound and determine its severity. This may include asking about your medical history, chronic health conditions, lifestyle, and any symptoms you’re experiencing.

We treat multiple wounds at our clinics, including diabetic, pressure, venous, and arterial/ischemic ulcerations, as well as ulcers. The sooner we know your exact wound, the quicker we can help manage it.

Wounds & Diabetes

Open wounds caused by diabetes are common, but we can help. As diabetes naturally slows down the healing process, open wounds on the lower extremities can quickly become non-healing wounds. As such, what may start as a small wound could snowball into more severe foot complications if left untreated.

Diabetics need to inspect their feet daily for wounds. They also need to routinely self-assess if they experience feeling in their feet. Neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that affects the body and causes lost feeling in the feet. As a result, a wound could develop, go unnoticed, and quickly become infected.

Treating Diabetic Wounds

Once a diabetic wound is discovered, it should be treated as soon as possible by a podiatrist to avoid infection. Infection can lead to gangrene and increases your risk of limb loss. At your podiatrist visit, the wound will be cleaned with water only and removing any damaged or dead tissue from the area. Using soap or iodine can make the problem worse. Depending on the severity of the wound, antibiotic ointment will then be applied and covered with a bandage that should be changed daily.

Ulcers

Ulcers are openings in the skin that often develop from the outside in and can introduce bacteria and develop infections. If ulcers get to the point where they have gotten through the skin, they can cause significant problems with infections of muscle, bone, or blood poisoning. Ulcers can also develop from the inside out from metabolic conditions or eruptions of localized abscess, which causes greater concern.

Treating Ulcers

When treating your ulcer, we will first confirm and establish good blood flow, which brings oxygen and healing enzymes to regrow tissue and skin. Our podiatrists will also debride the wounds to ensure all damaged tissue is removed to help healthy tissue grow. Topical medications will also be used to help prevent infection. Depending on the severity of your ulcer, we may also talk to you about skin grafting.

Wound Prevention

Some ways to prevent wounds from developing include:

  • Checking your feet daily for any injuries
  • Washing and drying your feet daily
  • Wearing proper footwear (no shoes that are too tight)
  • Trimming your toenails straight across

Wound Care in Orange County

If you suspect you may need wound care, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Many ulcers or foot wounds can be healed without surgery, but if no other treatment proves successful, a minor or major surgery may be required to avoid amputation. We will work with you to come up with a treatment plan that will manage your wounds for the long-term.