What are unhealed foot wounds?
Unhealed foot wounds, or non-healing wounds that don’t go away on their own, can worsen or lead to infection and other complications. Common types of unhealed wounds include:
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Arterial ulcers
- Pressure ulcers
- Traumatic wounds
- Chronic wounds
- Non-healing surgical wounds
- Venous stasis ulcers
If a wound doesn’t begin healing on its own after a few days, see the experts at Washington Vascular Specialists for an evaluation.
What are the risk factors for unhealed foot wounds?
Unhealed foot wounds often result from diabetes or venous insufficiency. They can occur with clotting disorders, poor circulation, kidney failure, atherosclerosis, or untreated high blood pressure. Fluid buildup, inflammatory diseases, smoking, some medications, and genetics can also increase your risk of unhealed foot wounds.
How are unhealed foot wounds diagnosed?
To diagnose unhealed foot wounds, your provider reviews your medical history and symptoms and examines your wounds. They might recommend CT scans, X-rays, MRIs, or vascular studies to make a final diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan that’s best for you.
How are unhealed wounds treated?
After determining the type and severity of your wound, your provider reviews treatment options with you that might include:
Debridement
Your provider cleans and debrides, or removes dead tissue from, unhealed foot wounds to optimize healing.
Oral medications
Taking antibiotics or other oral medicines may prevent or treat infection and reduce blood clots associated with unhealed foot wounds.
Topical wound care
Applying topical medications to wounds helps prevent or treat an infection.
Compression or orthotics
Your provider might suggest wearing compression garments or using orthotics to optimize healing. They may combine these treatments with others to help you achieve the best outcome.
Dressings
Bio-engineered, collagen, alginate, antimicrobial, synthetic skin, or composite dressings can enhance your body’s ability to heal itself.
Oxygen treatment
The Washington Vascular Specialists team might recommend oxygen treatment, or breathing in 100% oxygen, to naturally expedite wound healing.
Don’t let a non-healing wound progress, get infected, or lead to serious complications. If you have unhealed foot wounds, request an appointment with Washington Vascular Specialists by calling the office or using the online booking tool today.
