What to expect from wound care and dressing for a diabetic foot ulcer

Diabetes can reduce feeling in the feet and affect circulation, so an ulcer may be deeper or more infected than it feels. A clinician may measure the opening, inspect the surrounding skin, test sensation and circulation, and check for pressure from footwear or walking. Cleaning removes surface debris, while the dressing manages moisture and protects new tissue. Care may also involve off-loading pressure, reviewing glucose management and assessing for infection or bone involvement.

Keep the dressing clean, dry and secured as instructed. Do not walk barefoot, cut away thick skin or use corn remedies unless your foot-care team recommends them. Check both feet daily with a mirror or help from another person, looking for new redness, blisters, cracks or drainage. Use the footwear or off-loading device provided, and attend dressing changes even when the ulcer is not painful. Avoid placing weight on the area beyond the plan given to you.

Seek same-day advice for spreading redness, warmth, swelling, increasing drainage, bad smell, a change in skin colour, fever or a sudden rise in blood glucose with illness. Urgent assessment is needed for black or pale tissue, severe pain, new numbness, chills, confusion, red streaks or inability to bear weight. Do not wait for the next routine dressing appointment if the wound worsens.

Ask how the ulcer is changing, which dressing schedule to follow, how much weight is safe, and what footwear or off-loading device to use. Clarify who to contact outside clinic hours if the dressing comes off or the foot changes.