How Can Certified Wound Care Specialists Help with Diabetic Ulcers?

How Can Certified Wound Care Specialists Help With Diabetic Wound Care Management?

Diabetic wounds are chronic wounds that are slow to heal. If you have severe or unmanaged diabetes, your lifestyle or health conditions may put you at a greater risk of developing a diabetic wound. Without proper care and treatment, diabetic wounds can become infected and cause serious health complications. If you are unable to properly care for a diabetic wound yourself, you will benefit from working with a certified wound care specialist.

Certified wound care specialists are experts in assessing, managing, and treating diabetic wounds, as well as educating patients and caregivers on proper wound care and prevention. A CWS uses modern wound care innovation and state-of-the-art technology to accelerate healing, promote recovery, and improve overall health and wellness. Here is a look at how certified wound care specialists can help with diabetic wound care management in Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Vancouver, WA; and Nashville, TN.

What Is a Diabetic Wound?

A diabetic wound is a chronic wound on the foot, heel, or toe. Chronic wounds are slow to heal, which can increase the risk of infection and other complications. Diabetics are at a higher risk of developing these chronic wounds because high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and cause poor circulation.

What Is a Certified Wound Care Specialist?

A certified wound care specialist (CWS) is a healthcare professional who has undergone extensive, specialized training and has earned a certification that demonstrates their expertise. Certified wound care specialists are experts in wound care services, including assessing, diagnosing, treating, managing, and preventing complications from wounds. Their certification is earned through the American Board of Wound Management. A CWS could also be a nurse, doctor, physical therapist, or other licensed medical practitioner.

When & Why You Need Professional Diabetic Wound Care Management

While some people are capable of properly cleaning, dressing, and caring for a diabetic wound, others may have conditions that make it hard for them to perform their own wound care. Consider working with a professional certified wound care specialist if you:

• Have severe or unmanaged diabetes and have trouble caring for yourself
• Have limited mobility or are confined to a bed or wheelchair
• Are partially or fully paralyzed
• Do not have the skills or tools needed to perform wound care
• Do not have a reliable support system, such as family or in-home caregivers, who could assist with wound care
• Are not able to leave your home to seek wound care at a hospital or clinic
• Are concerned about the wound’s healing progress and have noticed signs of complication or infection

Benefits of Working With a Certified Wound Care Specialist

 A professional, certified wound care specialist has extensive training and education in the assessment, debridement, management, and prevention of diabetic wounds. They understand how diet, nutrition, lifestyle, and health conditions contribute to the development and progression of diabetic wounds, and they are able to quickly assess a wound’s stage in the healing process. Your wound care team can evaluate your health, lifestyle, and environment to determine which factors are contributing to your chronic wound. They can then design a personalized wound care treatment plan that addresses these underlying factors, relieves pain and discomfort, improves hygiene, accelerates healing, and reduces the risk of infection. Other benefits of working with a certified wound care specialist are:

• Certified wound care specialists are certified by the ABWM and have undergone extensive training and education
• CWS have extensive experience in treating chronic wounds and diabetic wounds
• CWS have years of clinical experience and have seen wounds of all sizes and types
• CWS have the ability to assess the stage of wound healing and wound severity, develop a highly individualized treatment plan, manage the care of complex wounds, and train patients, family, and caregivers on proper wound care

What Will a Certified Wound Care Specialist Do for You?

When you work with a certified wound care specialist, they can help you take greater control over your diet, lifestyle, health, and other factors that increase your risk of diabetic foot wounds and other complications of diabetes. They offer collaborative, highly personalized healthcare services, and will work closely with you, your healthcare team, your caregivers, and your friends and family to develop an individualized wound care program. Your certified wound care specialist will:

• Help you understand the most common causes of diabetic wounds
• Assess your risk level for diabetic wounds
• Evaluate your symptoms, assess your wound for severity, classify your wound using the Wagner Ulcer Classification, and look for any signs of infection or complication
• Work with your diabetes specialist, nutritionist, and other healthcare professionals to ensure you are properly managing your diabetes
• Help you understand the dangers associated with untreated diabetic wounds
• Clean and debride your wound and apply dressings
• Educate you and your caregivers on proper wound care
• Help you explore specialist wound healing techniques and innovative, state-of-the-art diabetic ulcer treatment strategies
• Create a personalized diabetic wound care management plan
• Use modern wound care technology to promote faster healing and recovery
• Help you and your healthcare team incorporate diet, nutrition, and lifestyle changes into your diabetic ulcer treatment strategies to reduce your risk of future ulcers

Understanding the Most Common Causes of Diabetic Wounds

Diabetic wounds are typically caused by a combination of factors. Their development and healing process are influenced by symptoms of diabetes, complications related to unmanaged or severe diabetes, and lifestyle. The most common causes of diabetic wounds are:

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Peripheral artery disease
• Immune system issues
• Injury or trauma
• Foot deformity
• Irritation of the skin on the foot
• Unmanaged diabetes
• Nicotine use

Other factors that can increase your risk of developing a diabetic wound are older age, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet or nutrition, hypertension, and poor circulation in the arms, hands, legs, and feet.

Assessing Your Risk Level for Diabetic Ulcers or Wounds

If you have diabetes, check in regularly with your physician, nutritionist, and diabetes specialist to get assistance managing your condition and assessing your progress and overall health. These specialists can help you understand your risk level for developing a diabetic ulcer or diabetic wound. They will evaluate your risk by considering factors like:

• Your medical history and family medical history
• Your history of previous chronic wounds or ulcers
• Whether you have any symptoms of neuropathy, including numbness or tingling in the feet, a pins and needles feeling in the feet or hands, trouble sensing temperature changes, or loss of awareness of foot position
• Presence of symptoms of peripheral vascular disease or poor blood flow in the legs, such as poor leg circulation, weak or absent pedal pulses, or a history of leg pain when walking
• Foot deformities such as hammertoes, claw toes, or Charcot foot
• Poor glycemic control or mismanagement of blood glucose levels
• Impaired vision
• Improper footwear
• Skin changes like dry, cracked, or callused skin, especially on pressure points, or redness or irritation of the feet
• A previous history of foot ulcers or amputations
• Poor diabetes control
• A history of smoking or tobacco use
• A history of kidney problems
• Lack of mobility or a sedentary lifestyle

Recognizing Symptoms of Diabetic Wounds

Recognizing early warning signs of a diabetic wound can ensure you get the wound care and treatment you need to prevent the condition from progressing. Inspect your feet regularly for signs of cuts, abrasions, punctures, or wounds and visit your physician if you notice that a wound is slow to heal. The most common symptoms of diabetic wounds are:

• Slow to Heal – Diabetic wounds are considered chronic or non-healing wounds. This means that they are very slow to heal and can sometimes get worse for a long period of time before healing. In general, they can take more than three months to heal.
• Inflammation – Diabetic wounds experience abnormal inflammation, which means that the skin around the wound will look redder, tighter, puffier, or more swollen than wounds in other places.
• Discoloration – The skin around a diabetic wound can appear dark red, white, blue, gray, or purple.
• Tissue Damage – The skin around the wound can begin dying, which will cause it to become black or brown. This condition is called eschar.

Common Complications of Untreated Diabetic Wounds

Without daily care and treatment, diabetic wounds are at risk of developing complications. Due to underlying health issues associated with diabetes, such as obesity, poor circulation, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor diet or nutrition, diabetic wounds are more susceptible to complications than other types of wounds. The most common complications of untreated diabetic wounds or slow-healing or chronic wounds are:

• Severe infections, including infections of the blood and bones
• Permanent nerve damage
• Permanent loss of mobility
• Tissue death or gangrene
• Sepsis
• Amputation
• Death

Schedule a Consultation for Diabetic Wound Care

At BH Wound Care, we have a team of certified wound care specialists who offer highly personalized, compassionate, and comprehensive wound care services. We specialize in the treatment of diabetic wounds and diabetic ulcers, venous and arterial ulcers, pressure sores, and other complications from diabetes. We use cutting-edge treatment and management methods and state-of-the-art technology to provide advanced wound care services.

Diabetic ulcers can cause serious complications that affect every aspect of your life, so we offer swift and comprehensive treatment, wound care education, and collaborative care coordinated with your healthcare team. Call us now or contact us online to schedule a consultation for diabetic wound care in Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Vancouver, WA; or Nashville, TN.