What is wound care?

Wound care is a podiatric specialty focused on diagnosing and treating cuts, ulcers, and other open lesions. It provides a quick and effective way to reduce the risk of potentially serious issues like an infection, gangrene, or the need for amputation.

If you have a wound on your leg, foot, or ankle and it doesn’t respond to at-home treatments like rest and anti-inflammatory medication, contact California Foot and Ankle Clinic.

What conditions can wound care treat?

California Foot and Ankle uses wound care to treat various conditions, including:

• Pressure ulcers
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Traumatic injuries (i.e., puncture wounds, cuts, and lacerations)
• Surgical wounds

You might also benefit from wound care if you have an underlying circulatory condition that affects blood flow to your feet.

What happens during a wound-care appointment?

At California Foot and Ankle Clinic, a wound-care appointment begins with a review of your medical records and a discussion of your symptoms. Afterward, your provider has you remove your shoes and socks and carefully examines your feet, toes, and ankles.

During the exam, your provider assesses the size, location, and appearance of your wound. Then, they check the vascular supply to determine why it isn’t healing. They also collect a small sample of tissue and send it to a laboratory to test it for the presence of an infection. After gathering the necessary insights, your provider develops a custom wound-care treatment plan.

What does wound care involve?

California Foot and Ankle Clinic offers a complete suite of wound-care services. Depending on your needs, they might recommend:

Debridement

Debridement involves your provider using special tools to carefully remove the dead tissue around the wound. By eliminating the excess tissue, it’s possible to prevent bacterial growth, reducing the risk of infection.

Wound dressing

A wound dressing is a special bandage that your provider wraps around a cut or an ulcer. Many modern dressings contain healing nutrients, like Manuka honey, to help speed up your recovery. To reduce the risk of infection, it’s important to change your dressings regularly. Your provider provides simple instructions for at-home care.

Medication

If your wound is severe and at risk of infection, your podiatrist at California Foot and Ankle Clinic might recommend antibiotics. After an exam and review of your medical history, your provider can prescribe antibiotics that align with your needs.

Skin grafting

Sometimes, debridement and dressings aren’t enough to treat large, open wounds. If that’s the case, your provider might recommend a skin graft.

A skin graft involves your provider removing a piece of healthy skin from another part of your body and then carefully stitching it over the open wound. Over time, the new skin helps the wound heal, restoring your skin to its healthy, near-original condition.

To learn more about the benefits of wound care, make an appointment at California Foot and Ankle Clinic by calling the office or using the online booking feature today.