Diabetic Ulcers

Diabetic ulcers affect between 15%-34% of people with diabetes at some point. Fortunately, prompt treatment can prevent them from worsening and promote healing. At Complete Wound Care in Wallingford and Milford, Connecticut, complex wound care specialists Adrian Wyllie, MD, MBA, CWSP, FAPWH, and Vadim Kurbatov, MD, PhD, regularly diagnose and treat diabetic ulcers. Call the nearest Complete Wound Care office today to schedule diabetic ulcer treatment or book your appointment online.

What are diabetic ulcers?

Diabetic ulcers are slow-healing, open wounds that usually form on the lower legs or bottoms of the feet. Though often small at first, without treatment, these wounds can grow, increasing the risk of infection, gangrene (tissue death), and amputation.

Why do diabetic foot ulcers form?

Diabetic ulcers form when diabetes isn’t properly managed. Diabetes is an umbrella term for several chronic conditions that affect your body’s ability to use blood sugar. 

If you have diabetes, sugar (glucose) builds up in your bloodstream, damaging the nerves in your extremities. 

When the nerves in your feet and legs don’t function well, you can cut or injure yourself and not realize it. Diabetes also affects circulation, so less oxygen and nutrient-rich blood make it to your lower body. This slows wound healing and increases the risk of complications.

What are the symptoms of diabetic ulcers?

Diabetic ulcer symptoms include:

• An open wound or sore on your lower legs or feet
• Redness, itching, burning, and irritation
• Peeling and cracking skin 
• Pain when standing and walking

The wound might also ooze pus or blood as it grows and extends beneath your skin.

How are diabetic ulcers diagnosed?

Complete Wound Care diagnoses diabetic ulcers with a visual exam. Your provider examines the ulcer, assessing its size, shape, and location. Then, they check the surrounding skin for cracking and discoloration and take a skin sample (biopsy) to check for infection.

After assessing your ulcer’s severity, your provider makes personalized treatment recommendations. The goal of treatment is to prevent infection, reduce the risk of amputation, and promote your body’s healing process. 

How are diabetic ulcers treated?

Complete Wound Care treats diabetic ulcers using a holistic and patient-centered approach. Your provider might recommend:

• Taking pressure off the ulcer (“off-loading”)
• Debridement (removing dead or infected tissue)
• Applying medication and dressings to the ulcer
• Prescription antibiotics to prevent infection

Treatment also involves healthy lifestyle changes to keep your blood sugar within the optimal range. This includes eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and taking diabetes medications as prescribed.

If your diabetic ulcer doesn’t improve with conservative treatments, your provider could recommend surgery. That’s especially true if a foot abnormality, like a bunion or hammertoe, exacerbates your symptoms.

Call the nearest Complete Wound Care office today to schedule diabetic ulcer treatment, or book your appointment online.