You may think, “it is no big deal, it is just a little sore,” but in the back of your mind, you know that if you have diabetes, even a little sore can cause major problems. You may have heard stories about people who had a small cut or scratch that turned into something bigger. Your health care provider may have told you about the importance of taking care of your feet to prevent infection. But what if you have just a cut, a scratch or a sore somewhere else on your body? What can you do?
While it is true that people with diabetes have a higher risk for problems like infections and non-healing wounds, a few simple strategies can help you to prevent these problems.
- Keep your blood glucose in good control. The American Diabetes Association recommends your blood glucose level before meals should be between 90 to 130 mg/dL and two hours after the start of a meal less than 180 mg/dL. A hemoglobin A1C level of less than 7 also is considered good control. When your blood glucose is higher, it is more difficult for wounds to heal, and it increases your risk for infection.
- Nutrition. Nutrition is important for wound healing. Think of it as healing from the inside out. Choose foods that help keep your blood glucose levels in control and eat a variety of healthy foods. Increase your intake of fluids, especially water. A multiple vitamin that includes zinc and some extra Vitamin C may also help.
- Watch closely. Keeping an eye on your wound is very important. Besides basic wound care, watch for signs of infection. If any of the following occur, contact your health care provider:
- Redness, warmth, swelling or increased pain around the wound. Not all people who have diabetes can feel pain, so this is not always a reliable indicator of a problem.
- Drainage or a change in the color of drainage, especially if it turns a green color.
- Temperature.
- A red streak from the wound. This means get help right away.
WOUND CARE
General wound care means inspecting, cleaning, treating and covering your wound. Inspect your wound and surrounding area at least once a day. Report any changes as noted in steps one to three. You should clean your wound gently once or twice a day with a mild soap and warm water. Make sure to rinse well and allow the area to dry. Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or iodine. These products can delay healing.
Treat your wound by covering it with a dressing that absorbs drainage, but does not cause your wound to dry out. Some people find an ointment like petroleum jelly or an antibiotic ointment helpful because it keeps the wound moist. Do not use the antibiotic ointment for more than two or three days on minor cuts and sores. Protect your wound by covering it with a dressing to keep out dirt and prevent reinjury. Do not leave your wound open to air to dry out. A dry wound forms a scab, which can increase infection and scarring.
Many people have wounds that do not heal because they wait too long to get help. They think they are bothering their health care providers by speaking to them about a sore or wound. My advice to you is to bother your health care providers. You’ll both be happy you did.
