Seemingly minor wounds on your feet and ankles can quickly become infected and ulcerated, especially if you have poor circulation or diabetes. If you have an injury or have a history of developing them, contact United Foot & Ankle to book a wound care evaluation. The expert podiatrists provide integrative wound care services in East Brunswick, Keyport, Somerset, Perth Amboy, and Bayonne, New Jersey, so you have a location nearby to receive the care you need. Find out more by booking an exam online or over the phone with the location nearest you.

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What are the symptoms of a foot wound?

Foot wounds may begin as a small crack or cut that seems minor. But as the opening becomes infected, you may find that it’s warm to the touch. Foot wounds can also lead to:

  • Numbness
  • Tingling
  • Oozing
  • Bleeding
  • Red streaks
  • Skin discoloration

Because diabetes commonly causes nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy), you might not be able to feel that you have a wound. In a case like this, you may be unaware that you have a foot wound until you see drainage in your socks.

Why is wound care important?

If these symptoms are familiar, it’s essential to visit United Foot & Ankle for an evaluation as soon as possible. Without proper wound care early on, your minor wound can quickly become infected.

People with diabetes are at a heightened risk for decreased blood flow to the extremities. These circulatory problems mean that injured and infected tissues could not receive the nutrients they need to heal.

Once a foot wound is infected, it can become ulcerated, which causes tissues to die. In the worst-case scenario, foot wounds can become quite severe and lead to limb amputation.

The goal of wound care from United Foot & Ankle is to prevent this outcome and preserve your limb health.

What happens during wound care?

Your wound care management plan from United Foot & Ankle is entirely tailored to the severity of your wound, as well as your overall health history. If you have a current foot wound, your podiatrist may remove dead tissues and apply a local antibiotic medication before bandaging your wound.

For more advanced foot wounds, you may need a surgical procedure called limb salvage. This customized surgery involves removing portions of damaged skin and performing skin grafts to repair the area. Successful limb salvage can prevent amputation.

Once your podiatrist at United Foot & Ankle gets your current infection under control and starts seeing an improvement in your wound’s healing, they spend quality time teaching you about preventive solutions. Your podiatrist may recommend diabetic shoes, custom orthotics, or activity modifications to lower your risk of serious wound development in the future.

Book your wound care evaluation at United Foot & Ankle today. You can conveniently schedule an appointment online, or you can call any office to speak with a team member directly.