So you’ve got a diabetic foot ulcer that won’t go away. Maybe it’s healed, but it keeps reappearing. I’m sure you’re unhappy and worried that it won’t get better. You may have been dressing your wound with the same treatment for months, if not years!
A diabetic foot ulcer should show signs of healing over time. If your wound isn’t healing, there’s probably a cause for it, or you’ll need to adjust your therapy. To begin with, no ulcer will heal if the foot does not receive adequate blood flow. Diabetes patients frequently have poor circulation. This is why everyone with diabetes should get their circulation checked. Your wound will heal faster if circulation is restored.
Pressure is the root cause of your diabetic foot ulcer. The same pressure that created the wound in the first place will hinder it from healing. As a result, pressure alleviation must be part of your ulcer treatment plan. Casting, wearing a surgical boot, or wearing a surgical shoe are all options for doing this. You should consult your doctor or get a second opinion if you are not wearing something to relieve these pressures.
Finally, not all diabetic foot ulcer dressings are created equal. Some should be used on a dry wound, while others should be used on a draining wound, and yet others should be used on an infected wound. Living cells and growth factors are used in certain dressings to speed up the healing process. Whether your wound hasn’t healed after four weeks with your current dressing, see if a different type of dressing may be beneficial.
