Guide To Treating Diabetic Foot

Surgical Removal Of Decaying Tissue

If the feet become compromised with an infected wound, doctors may try to remove some of the decaying tissue. This is done to avoid amputating the toes, a foot, or even a leg. The doctor will try to remove the dead tissue and find the healthy tissue. Surgical removal of decaying tissue can be the result of an individual with diabetes not realizing they have a wound and the wound getting out of control and infected. Many times, this happens because the patient suffers from neuropathy, which is the deadening of the nerves and sensation in the foot. Therefore, if the individual develops a wound, they might not be able to feel it. If they do not feel it, they will not know when it gets infected. In addition to neuropathy, diabetes patients suffer from a slow down in the body releasing immune cells, meaning when bacteria colonize in the open wound, the body’s defenses that would normally get rid of them is ineffective and slow. All of this leads to dead tissue. The doctor’s primary goal is to remove all the dead cells and promote good blood flow that will help new, healthy tissue regrow and heal the wound.

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Keep Feet Clean

A patient with diabetes needs to keep feet clean, as if their feet are dirty, they can breed bacteria. The bacteria will find any entry point to get into the skin in the feet, no matter how small it is. Clean feet will help eliminate harmful bacteria and reduce the chance of infection. If the diabetes patient has clean feet, they will be able to inspect them better and make sure there are no wounds requiring treatment. This is especially important if they have neuropathy because they might not feel a wound on their foot. But, if they are routinely cleaning them, they can see abrasions, treat them effectively, and keep a watchful eye on the wounds to ensure they are healing properly. Dirty feet can hide small wounds, which can allow bacteria to take hold and lead to many other complications. If the bacteria cause an infection, and it is not taken care of, many serious issues can happen, including surgery, or even amputation.

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