February 2021

People with diabetes often suffer maladies in their feet, including diabetic foot ulcers, osteomyelitis, and gangrene. The unfortunate toll of these health issues impacts the healthcare system and the people it treats each year.

It is also a high cost to patients suffering from diabetic ulcers of the foot. Infected diabetic ulcers of the foot can also lead to or exacerbate osteomyelitis. Prevention is the most cost-effective and comfortable way to treat wounds related to diabetes. A wound care specialist is the first step in treatment for osteomyelitis or a diabetic ulcer of the foot.

Why Should I Treat My Diabetic Foot Ulcers?

Often, patients avoid going to wound care specialists (or even their family physicians) because they are nervous about what their doctor might say. Others think ulcers might clear up with time.

Unfortunately, waiting can make diabetic foot ulcer treatment that much more difficult. It can even increase the likelihood that your ulcer might turn gangrenous. Wound care specialists urge people with diabetes to seek help for their ulcers as soon as they show signs of worsening.

About Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment

Diabetic foot ulcer treatment will take time to clear up, and a wound care specialist’s help will be critical to addressing the issue in a timely and comfortable manner.

Your first visit to a wound care specialist will be a consultation — your specialist will get to know you and your medical history better before coming up with a treatment plan. Typically, treatment will involve:

• Bathing and soaking the foot to prevent infection
• Disinfecting the wound after cleaning
• Frequent dressing changes to keep moisture out
• Medicinal cream applications
• Specialized care on a case by case basis

Treatment of Diabetic Ulcers of The Foot With Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers

For more advanced foot ulcer treatment, wound care specialists might suggest the use of hyperbaric oxygen chambers. One of the reasons diabetic foot ulcer treatment is trickier than treating wounds in non-diabetic patients is that patients with diabetes often experience a lack of circulation in their feet.

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers seek to address the lack of oxygen to extremities by increasing the amount of oxygen a patient breathes in. Wound care specialists will have their patients lie in a pressurized chamber for 90-120 minutes, breathing in 200% oxygen. Most patients do this 10-20 times, which increases the rate at which their wound heals by supplying vital oxygen to the body.

Wound Care Specialists at MVS WoundCare and Hyperbarics

MVS Wound Care and Hyperbarics is home to some of the most well-renowned wound care specialists in Maryland. Each of our wound care specialists is vetted to align with our values of providing superior comfort and care to our patients.

Please email us at info@mvswoundcare.com to speak to a concussion specialist in Maryland, consult with a wound care specialist, or learn more about our state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen chambers.