Diabetic ulcers free essay sample

Most diabetic patients who have those affects are seen by a wound care specialist and/or podiatrist as a proactive measure to prevent serious complications such as diabetic ulcers. As a Podiatry Assistant I see many cases of diabetic ulcers in patients per day. In fact, a vast amount of my Job description intels helping to treat wound care patients ho have a difficult time healing. About 85-90 percent of those wound care patients happen to be people who have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or those who have yet to find out that they are also carriers of that particular disease. In any healthcare facility every patient should treated with universal sanitary precautions. A large portion of the day is filled with unwrapping bandages that have been soiled with exudates from wounds that have been wrapped from anywhere from 3-5 days. This means that the smell from the ulcer is absolutely horrid and should immediately e thrown in the bio hazardous material waste container. We will write a custom essay sample on Diabetic ulcers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is equally important to measure the ulcer so that the physician is able to evaluate the progress of the site. In other words, measuring the wound is critical so that the physician can dictate whether the site has progressed or regressed and can make a sound decision on the treatment options in regards to the wound site. Maintaining cleanliness of the ulcer plays an enormous role in the healing of a diabetic ulcer. It is important to keep the ulcer clean to prevent greater problematic issues such as staphylococcus, mrsa, and ther susceptibilities. Although each patient may not have those issues, each patient should be treated as though they have an infectious disease in terms of protecting ourselves as healthcare providers. Charcot foot is a disorder causing weakening of the bones in the foot that can happen in diabetics and non diabetic people. Charcot generally occurs in people who have an enormous amount of nerve damage, also called neuropathy. The bones in the foot become weakened enough to break, and with an active lifestyle the shape of the foot slowly changes overtime. As the charcot progresses, the Joints in the foot collapse, and causes the foot to appear rocker shaped. Charcot is a very serious condition that can cause severe deformity, amputation, and even disability. Patients who have diabetes should be especially aware of any symptoms of charcot that may occur primarily because the rocker shaped foot. This can change the pressure points throughout the foot which can contribute to the cause of diabetic ulcers. Diabetic Neuropathy tends to occur in people who have diabetes causing their nerves to become deadened or damage. When the nerves become damaged it is then xtremely difficult for certain nerves to be able to send the proper messages to the brain and other necessary parts of the body. Due to the loss of feeling, many patients cannot not feel when they have an opening or wound site on their foot, which causes something as small as a pea to evolve into a full sized chronic ulcer. Again, this is one of the reasons why medical professionals encourage diabetic patients to check their feet at least twice a day. When a patient is able to notice the affected area shortly after it has occurred, then the less likely they will be to develop a large ulcer, and will ave to undergo less treatment. Sometimes diabetic patients feet tend to swell inside the shoe which may in turn cause a small abrasion. If that small abrasion goes unnoticed and untreated because of loss of feeling, the chances of the abrasion turning into an ulcer have become that much greater. It is very important for patients with neuropathy to have well fitted shoes that will be beneficial to them from a healthcare stand point. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) also known as peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries is a disorder that ccurs in the arteries of the circulatory system(. my. clevelandclinic. org). Arteries are large blood vessels that carry nutrient enriched blood, and oxygen to various parts of the body. Peripheral arterial disease occurs when these arteries become blocked or the walls within the vessels become thickened due to endocalcification. When this occurs, a sufficient amount of blood flow is not provided to the extremities which cause the ulcer a longer amount of time to heal. Diabetic ulcers can be prevented but Just like many other circumstance, sometimes, they Just happen. A diabetic who currently has an ulcer can also do things that can help speed up the recovery time of the wound. Taking prescribed medications such as antibiotics, as ordered by the physician can help the patient to heal faster. Keeping the wound site covered and clean, making the chances for harmful bacteria to enter the site is also a way to contribute to a speedy recovery. Visiting the doctor for proper evaluation and debridement is also important in the healing of diabetic ulcers, making sure that the feet are checked twice a day.