Diabetic wounds that won’t heal? Learn why you’re healing slowly and how to speed up the process
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin.
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy.
Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy.
With diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.
There isn’t a cure yet for diabetes, but losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active can really help. Other things you can do to help:
- Take medicine as prescribed.
- Get diabetes self-management education and support.
- Make and keep health care appointments.
Diabetes by the Numbers
More than 37 million US adults have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Diabetes is the No. 1 cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, and adult blindness.
In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.
Types of Diabetes
There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant).
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). This reaction stops your body from making insulin. Approximately 5-10% of the people who have diabetes have type 1. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often develop quickly. It’s usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults. If you have type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to take insulin every day to survive. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t keep blood sugar at normal levels. About 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2. It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults (but more and more in children, teens, and young adults). You may not notice any symptoms, so it’s important to get your blood sugar tested if you’re at risk. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes, such as:
- Losing weight.
- Eating healthy food.
- Being active.
- Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, your baby could be at higher risk for health problems. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after your baby is born. However, it increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. Your baby is more likely to have obesity as a child or teen and develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Six tips for treating diabetic wounds
It is usually experienced by individuals with diabetes and will take time to heal. It can even become more chronic if not treated properly
1. Clean the wound
The wounds experienced by individuals with diabetes need to be cleaned immediately. You can choose to clean the wound with running water and soap or any antiseptic wash. Then, make sure the wound is wiped dry and apply an antibiotic cream recommended by the doctor so that the wound is free from bacterial infection. Make sure you change the wound dressing regularly to keep it clean.
2. Reduces pressure on the wound
Avoid putting excessive pressure on the affected area or parts, such as by avoiding wearing clothes that are too tight. Reducing stress can help the wound heal faster and better. A tubular elastic bandage can help diabetic patients feel more secure. If you have sores on the soles of your feet, it is recommended to use soft cushions or special shoes to prevent more serious problems due to diabetes.
3. Control blood level sugar
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels will certainly complicate the wound healing process. Therefore, it is very important to control blood sugar levels by adopting a healthy diet for diabetes, exercising, taking antidiabetic drugs, and insulin injections, if needed. You can see your doctor for more information on how to control and care for your blood sugar levels.
4. Monitor sign of infection
A wound infection can occur without any symptoms. However, the following are among the symptoms that may occur: fever, pain, redness, swelling, or feeling hot around the injured area. In addition to the following symptoms, infected wounds can also be classified when the wound becomes watery or pus-filled, followed by an unpleasant smell.
5. Nutritional care
In order to speed up the wound healing process, you are strongly encouraged to take care of your daily nutrition and nutritional intake. One of the important nutrients that should be taken every day to treat diabetic wounds is protein. Protein is believed to help repair damaged skin tissue and other body tissues. The need for calories, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as zinc and vitamin C are also equally important.
6. Doctor’s examination
If the wound does not improve within 48 hours, you are advised to contact a doctor or get an examination immediately. Otherwise, it will increase the tendency for the wound to become worse and more difficult to heal.
Reference
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