Diabetic wound care involves close monitoring of wounds and ulcers to help reduce the risk of complications in people with diabetes. If you have diabetes, wounds tend to heal slowly and progress quickly. Certain aspects, like high blood glucose levels, poor circulation, diabetic neuropathy, and a weakened immune system, can slow the healing of your diabetic wounds. A small wound on your foot can rapidly develop into an ulcer if you have diabetes. Untreated foot ulcers can lead to severe complications like leg amputation or mobility issues. Depending on the condition of your wounds, your Newnan diabetic wound care center specialist can recommend various self and medical care techniques to prevent the worsening of your ulcers and promote quick healing. Here are various management strategies involved in diabetic wound care.
Control blood sugar
Controlling blood sugar is essential to your health when you have diabetes. It is also important for wound healing. If you maintain your blood sugar within the target range, you will not have strong bacteria and may be able to fight infections better. Controlling blood sugar can reduce the risks of getting certain conditions that affect diabetic wound healing, like neuropathy and circulation issues.
Observe proper diabetes foot care
Foot ulcers are the most common form of severe diabetic wounds. Observing proper foot care can help avoid foot ulcers. Correct foot care includes keeping your feet clean and moisturized, trimming toenails, wearing proper-fitting shoes, and keeping your foot covered. Ensure you do not have moisture between your toes, which can lead to wounds. If you detect calluses, bunions, warts, or corns on your feet, do not remove them independently. Consult your doctor to help take care of them and prevent infection.
Eat a healthy diet
If you are living with diabetes, your doctor will recommend you reduce carbohydrate intake and increase proteins in your diet. Eating foods with less sugar and lower glycemic levels helps maintain blood sugar levels in the right range. Taking more proteins helps wounds heal more quickly. Ensure you also include fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins A and C in your diet because these nutrients are essential to wound healing and help boost your immune system.
Stay active
Staying active is an essential step in managing your diabetes. Regular exercise helps improve how your body uses insulin, controlling your blood sugar levels. Exercise also improves wound healing by decreasing inflammation, leading to quicker healing. Also, being active increases antioxidants in your blood, which protect your body from unstable free radicals in the blood that can harm your cells, slowing healing.
Stop smoking
If you have diabetes, smoking increases the risk of complications leading to chronic diabetic wounds. Nicotine increases blood sugar levels, making it more difficult to manage your diabetes. Also, smoking lowers your immune system, and the chemicals in cigarettes increase inflammation. Quitting smoking helps improve your body’s ability to heal and overall health.
Diabetic wound care involves close monitoring of your wounds or ulcers to reduce the risk of complications. It involves various management strategies, including controlling blood sugar, observing correct foot care, staying active, eating healthy, and quitting smoking. Schedule an appointment at Peachstate Advanced Cardiac and Endovascular (PACE) for diabetic wound care to prevent chronic diabetic ulcers.
