Not only do diabetics have to watch their diets and worry about blood-sugar levels, but they also have to worry about losing a limb because of the disease. Diabetic wounds are particularly hard to heal. Circulation problems and nerve damage caused by the disease result in wounds going unnoticed, and the result is infection.
Step 1
Clean, dry and inspect your feet daily. The feet are by far the most common place for a diabetic to have a wound. Not only are they in constant use, but, for a diabetic, the feet are also the main source of ulcers.
Step 2
Clean and bandage the wound immediately after detection. This may be all that's needed to get the wound on the path to healing. Use soap and warm water to thoroughly rinse the wound and cover it with sterile gauze.
Step 3
See a doctor. In someone with diabetes, a small cut can lead to amputation, so it's nothing to be flippant about. If the wound becomes infected, don't wait while you try to take care of it at home. Diabetic wounds quickly become overrun with biofilm. Biofilm is basically the same as the plaque you feel on your teeth. It helps to hide bacteria in a cut or sore, allowing the infection to grow unheeded. New medicine has shown promise in fighting biofilm.
Step 4
Remove the affected tissue. This is something that should be left to a doctor. Along with the findings regarding biofilm, doctors are seeing that for a wound to heal, a chemical designed to remove flesh that harbors infectious agents is one of the only ways to head off amputation.
Things You'll Need
- Warm, soapy water
- Gauze
