The Diabetes Support Group heard from wound care medical specialist Dr. Rebecca Roberts, DO, at South Central Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine about diabetes and wound care during their January meeting at South Central Place on Tuesday, January 14.
Roberts began by defining what diabetes is in general: “Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, which creates an abnormal metabolism of sugars and an increase of sugars in your blood and urine.”
Roberts explained that there are two types of diabetes, Type I and Type II. Type I results from the body’s inability to make insulin
and begins at an early age. Type II is commonly referred to as adult-onset diabetes and occurs when your body does not respond to insulin.
“There are 30.3 million people in the United States that have diabetes,” stated Roberts. “That is 9.4 percent of the population. A good majority of those are not diagnosed at all. There are only about 23 million that have been diagnosed. We have upwards of seven to eight million people running around the United States who don’t even know they have diabetes at all.”
Roberts said Mississippi has the second-highest number of diabetics in the nation. West Virginia has the highest. She said diet is believed to be the main contributing factor.
In giving a brief history of diabetes, Roberts said passages had been found that refer to diabetes as early as 250 B.C. When asked the question of how diabetes was controlled back then, Roberts said it was almost a death sentence, especially with all the complications and side effects of diabetes.
Among the several side effects of diabetes, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and high blood pressure, wound care is also an issue. People with diabetes heal slower than normal. In many cases, a person with diabetes has wounds that won’t heal without correct medical intervention.
After showing several graphic photos of blackened toes and oozing wounds on the feet, she said these complications are mainly caused by poor circulation, uncontrolled blood sugar, nerve damage and issues with pressure points.
She stressed the importance of preventive and self-maintenance care, as well as regular check-ups with your health professional team.
Wounds to the feet occur when patients develop neuropathy (nerve damage) and have no feeling in their feet. They can step on something, get a blister, etc. and not realize they have an issue.
Some things that can be done for prevention include regular foot inspections, which involves checking calluses and ingrown toenails, and keeping floors clear of sharp objects. Wearing shoes that fit correctly is important. Controlling your blood sugar and keeping your hemoglobin A1C below 6.0 can help prevent diabetes complications. Getting annual check-ups on your eyes, feet, heart, and kidneys is important as well.
“It is not uncommon to have patients at the Wound Care Center running blood sugar counts of 300, 350 and 400,” said Roberts.
Roberts then explained some of the procedures the Wound Care Center uses to help an open wound heal.
The South Central Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine is located at South Central Regional Medical Center, 1220 Jefferson Street in Laurel. For more information, call 601-426-4739. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
The South Central Diabetes Support Group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. at South Central Place in Laurel. For more information, contact Gregg Stueve at 601-426-4700.