At-Home Care for Diabetic Wounds

There’s no way around it: if you have diabetes and notice an ulcer or wound on your foot that just won’t heal (or is getting worse), you can’t afford to keep the matter to yourself. Immediate intervention from a wound care specialist, such as Dr. Viedra Elison, is necessary if you want to stave off infection and, ultimately, keep your foot. You should never take chances with diabetic wounds.

That said, after we’ve had a chance to clean, medicate, and dress your wound, you will likely need to continue the care at home. What you do between visits can have a dramatic effect on how quickly you heal and how well you avoid further complications.

Caring for a Diabetic Ulcer at Home Often Includes the Following Steps:

• Keep pressure and weight off the wound as it heals. Depending on the location and severity of the ulcer, we’ll provide an appropriate form of protection, such as a cast, walking boot, or wheelchair.
• Take extra care monitoring and managing your blood sugar. This is, of course, important whether you have an active wound or not, but it’s doubly true with an ulcer. Elevated sugar levels can significantly slow the pace of healing.
• You may need to cleanse, re-medicate, and re-dress the wound periodically between visits. If this is the case for you, don’t worry—we’ll establish a strict schedule at the outset and make sure you and any caregivers are fully educated on how to perform this process and how often.

Treatment for a Diabetic Wound

Remember that successful healing relies on both what we do for you at our office AND how you care for yourself at home. Follow your instructions carefully, and you give yourself the best possible chance to recover from a foot ulcer and regain full mobility without an amputation.