Don’t let a little scrape or a fissure turn into something a lot worse. In fact, Dr. Yozsa often says, “see me for a scratch.” Why does she say that?

She says, “see me for a scratch” because those cracked heels, fissures, and basic scratches may start off as just a scratch or dry foot but can end up as your worst nightmare.

An ulceration or a wound can happen fast and get infected even faster! Any break in the skin is a wound, and should it not heal, puts you at risk for infection, which can lead to an amputation if not treated. Wounds, aka skin ulcers, can have dire consequences and are extremely frightening for both the patient and the family or caregivers.

Plantar (bottom of foot) wounds can be difficult to treat, especially on Diabetics due to the loss of sensation (which you may not even know you have). We can perform some tests at our office that can ascertain your level of Neuropathy (lack of sensation) and circulation. Diabetics get wounds because high blood sugar levels literally wipe out the growth factors in our blood that start the healing process. So, it’s like attempting to drive your car without the keys.

All wounds are not treated equally. Ulcers can occur anywhere on the body, most notably on pressure areas, like the sacrum (bed sores), the heels, the tops of toes, the ends of toes, the ball of the foot, and the ankle bones. They also occur on the legs, due to swelling in the legs from a condition called venous insufficiency. Many wounds also occur due to a lack of blood flow. Getting to the root of the problem is essential in understanding treatment.

Offloading or taking the pressure off the wound is important in the treatment of plantar wounds, which means you cannot walk on your foot. That alone is difficult to do since walking is how we get around. Most plantar wounds end up taking months to heal. Dr. Yozsa also says, “If you think you should see a doctor, you should see a doctor.” The sooner you get to a Wound healing physician, such as Dr. Martin or Dr. Yozsa, the sooner your foot will heal, and the sooner you decrease the risk of infection.

Our doctors are trained and specialized in advanced wound healing techniques and modalities. We can do these procedures in the office, pending insurance authorization. We use genetic testing for wound cultures and PCR analysis to determine the most precise antibiotic treatment. Skin biopsies are utilized to rule out cancers. Skin Substitutes are often utilized, and a new treatment called the Ultra Mist system. The Ultra Mist uses ultrasonic sound waves to break up the bioburden (think gentle, nonpainful water pick on the wound paired with sound waves), which rids the wound of cells that are food for bacteria and stimulates the wounds to heal faster.

The doctors often say “see me for a scratch” because a wound can go from bad to worse overnight. Don’t let this happen to you. If you are suffering from anything that you think may be a wound, please schedule an appointment yesterday-your limbs are worth the appointment.

Drs Martin and Yozsa together have over 30 years of experience treating wounds and would love to assist you in healing your wound, preventing infection, and preventing limb loss.

Contact Talus inMotion Foot & Ankle today and schedule a consultation today.