Wound Care for Diabetic Foot Ulcers | Neuropathic Ulcer Wound Management

Neuropathic ulcers or diabetic ulcers are a common condition among diabetic patients and refers to the damage of the nerve fibers. The exact cause of these ulcers has not been found yet but doctors suggest that the high blood glucose level changes the metabolism of the nerve fibers thus causing a reduced blood flow to the nerves. The condition is also sometimes referred to as peripheral neuropathy as the nerves of the legs are the most affected by this condition. The condition usually affects sensory nerves but in cases where it affects the motor nerves, a person might experience muscle loss and in turn face problems like claw toes and other foot deformities.

Causes of Neuropathic Ulcers

• Primary neurological conditions which result in nerve dysfunction
• Diabetes which causes damage to nerve fibers
• Trauma
• Surgery
• Repeated stress on the nerves of the feet

Symptoms of Diabetic Ulcers

• Callus like formations will begin forming on the skin of the legs
• Slowly one might notice slight inflammation and the formation ulcers
• A wound begins developing within the skin
• The wound is usually painless until the wound is stressed up by walking or stretching
• If left untreated, infection can spread to the bone and the bone marrow causing serious implications

Risk Factors of Neuropathic Foot Ulcers

There are a wide range of risk factors that can increase the chances of diabetic foot ulcers if they aren’t checked on time. They include:

• Kidney disease
• Smoking
• Foot conditions such as hammer toe, bunions, flatfoot, etc.
• Poor glycemic control
• Hypertension

Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

A wide range of wound dressings can be used to manage and treat diabetic foot ulcers. One has to be very careful while choosing the right wound dressing, as the faster the ulcer heals, the lesser are the chances of infections or gangrene.

Hydrocolloid Dressings – Hydrocolloid dressings are perfect for use on ulcers that are in their first stage, which is minor breakdown and discoloration. They can are semi-permeable to vapour and absorbent thus allowing for minimum moisture that is required for healing to stay in the wound. If the infection is greater or the wound is moister than expected, avoid using hydrocolloid dressings. Non-adherent dressings are better and more effective.

Non-Adherent Dressings – Non-adherent dressings are the most commonly used dressing for neuropathic foot ulcers. They are designed to be atraumatic to wounds and provide a moist wound healing environment. They are great while managing infections in combinations with antibiotic treatments. They do not stick to the wound bed and hence are great for pain free dressing changes.

Hydrogel Dressings – Hydrogel dressings are great for diabetic ulcers only in the case where the wound is heavily exuding. Since hydrogel dressings donate moisture, they are great for drier ulcers. They provide a great moist wound healing environment. They should be avoided in the case of highly wet wounds since they might not impede the infections.

Alginate Dressings – Alginate dressings are great for packing a wound and allow for enhanced hemostasis. They are great for atraumatic dressing changes since they do not adhere to the wound bed. Alginate dressings should be removed carefully from the packing since they might be a source of infection in the future.

Silver Dressings – For infectious diabetic ulcers, silver dressings are the best options since the impregnated silver fights bacteria and other pathogens with great efficiency. They are great for both acute and chronic wounds. They not only kill the bacteria but also inhibit the growth of bacteria thus eliminating and preventing the infections at the same time.

Where to Buy Dressings for Diabetic Foot Ulcers?

At Shop Wound Care we have the perfect set of products from top selling brands such as Medline, Smith & Nephew, Coloplast, etc. that help in healing neuropathic ulcers.