Wound Care for Diabetics
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, then you probably know that high blood sugar levels can make you susceptible to circulation issues and vein disease – which can appear as varicose veins and spider veins. These vein issues are caused by chronic venous insufficiency due to poor blood circulation.
With inadequate blood circulation, the veins in your lower extremities have to work especially hard to pump blood back to your heart. This extra work can weaken the vein walls, resulting in varicose veins, pain, and even open wounds if a vein punctures through the skin.
High blood sugar can impact the nerves, especially in the legs and feet, causing numbness. When your feet are numb, you cannot feel it if you have even the slightest injury – such as an ingrown toenail. The problem is that unaddressed issues like this can develop into serious infections.
Who Can Provide Diabetic Wound Care?
Diabetes-related wounds can be best addressed by a skilled vein doctor. This physician can treat everything from skin ulcers to varicose veins and overall circulation issues:
Skin Ulcers Due to Ruptured Varicose Veins
Early varicose vein treatment is highly recommended for patients who have diabetes. If the veins continue to enlarge, they might eventually burst through the skin and form skin ulcers, which are open sores. For a diabetic, this is very dangerous and can quickly lead to infection and possibly the need for amputation. This is why a vein doctor is such an important part of your diabetes-management healthcare team, so you can avoid all of that from happening.
A vein doctor can identify early signs of vein disease and can recommend interventions – simple and minor changes in your behavior or lifestyle – to improve your condition and reduce the risk of complications. A ruptured varicose vein is a medical emergency and should be treated by a medical professional right away.
How Can Varicose Veins Be Treated in Diabetic Patients?
Early intervention of varicose veins in diabetics may involve minimally invasive treatments, such as sclerotherapy. It is important that the diabetic have their blood sugar levels under control before undergoing sclerotherapy.
Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy is a cost-effective alternative to invasive surgery for the treatment of spider veins and varicose veins. In this treatment, your vein doctor will inject a sclerosant into the problem vein, causing it to scar and be reabsorbed into the body. Your body will then eliminate the vein naturally, and the blood will be automatically rerouted through nearby healthy veins.
Vein Doctor in Kansas City, Missouri
If you have diabetes and would like to take utmost control of your condition, it is in your best interest to have an experienced vein doctor as part of your personal medical team. Dr. Scott Darling of Missouri Vein Specialists is a triple-board-certified doctor specializing in the treatment of vein issues and circulation-related diseases, such as diabetes.
Dr. Darling’s extensive training and experience enable him to safely and effectively treat diabetic patients who have vein problems. He will evaluate your condition and recommend a solution that will work for you.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Darling, call our KCMO vein clinic today at (816) 792-3400 or fill out our convenient appointment request form online now. We look forward to seeing you!
