Here's Why Treating Wounds in the Early Stages Is So Important

When you have a health issue like diabetes, and 38.4 million Americans (11.4% of the adult population!) fit this bill, any minor cut or ulcer in your lower limbs can turn the corner very quickly into a major, limb-threatening problem.

If this sounds like an exaggeration, we assure you it isn’t. Twenty percent of infected foot ulcers in people with diabetes lead to amputation. And this threat applies to anyone with compromised circulation in their lower limbs.

At Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County, the top priority for Dr. Thomas Rambacher and the team is to help our patients avoid the unfortunate chain of events that we describe above. And this often boils down to one thing: early intervention for foot, ankle, and leg wounds through targeted wound care.

In the following, we get into more detail about what can happen with a slow-healing wound if it isn’t treated promptly and the benefits of acting quickly.

Understanding the wound healing cascade

The human body is amazingly self-sufficient and this is on perfect display when you have a wound. Let’s say you step on a piece of glass and slice the bottom of your foot. When this happens, your body springs into action and initiates a wound healing cascade that encompasses four steps, including:

Homeostasis: platelets flood the area to stop bleeding
Inflammation: your body releases growth factors and fibroblasts that kick-start the rebuilding process
Cell proliferation: new cells are made to stabilize the wound
Maturation: wound contraction occurs and the finishing touches are complete, often in the form of a scar

These stages often overlap and they’re all designed to close and heal the wound as quickly as possible to avoid bacterial invasion and infection.

When wounds don’t heal

If you have a problem that compromises the circulation of resources to your lower limbs, wound healing can slow and even stop.

When this occurs, bacteria can get into the wound and multiply and there’s nothing to stop them, such as white blood cells.

And once bacteria dig in, the infection can spread and tissues can start to die off, a process called necrosis. And that’s when gangrene can set in, which is a point of no return and often leads to partial or complete amputation to contain the tissue death and prevent it from spreading up your leg.

Getting help right away for your wound

If you’re concerned about what you’ve read, then we’ve done our job. We dislike using scare tactics, but infections and amputations are clear and present dangers for some people.

That said, the frightening outcomes we outline above are far from foregone conclusions. In fact, our entire practice is designed to avoid them. And the earlier we can take action, the better.

We urge patients to come see us for any small wound on their feet, ankles, or lower limbs if they’re at risk. Right from the start, we can take steps to fight infection and keep your wound advancing forward through the healing process.

We’re armed with an extensive wound care toolkit that can go a long way toward preventing your wound from turning into a long and uncomfortable journey.

So, if you’re dealing with a wound that isn’t showing signs of healing, please contact our office in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-832-6018 sooner rather than later. You can also request an appointment online today.