A wound should be professionally evaluated when it is deep, worsening, painful, draining, showing signs of infection, or not making clear progress after about two weeks. People with diabetes, poor circulation, limited mobility, or a recent operation should seek help sooner because complications can develop quickly.
A wound specialist evaluates more than the opening in the skin. The clinician also considers circulation, pressure, infection, swelling, nutrition, medications, diabetes control, and the reason the wound developed.
Patients with diabetes, neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, venous disease, paralysis, immune suppression, or a history of difficult wound healing should not wait for a small wound to become severe. A new foot wound in a person with diabetes deserves prompt assessment, even when it does not hurt.
Call 911 or seek urgent emergency evaluation for uncontrolled bleeding, rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, fever with confusion or weakness, red streaks traveling away from the wound, exposed bone, a cold or blue limb, or sudden loss of feeling. Mobile wound care is not a replacement for emergency treatment.
The clinician reviews the wound history, measures depth and surface area, examines the surrounding skin, checks circulation and sensation, reviews current dressings and medications, and determines whether debridement, cultures, vascular testing, imaging, offloading, compression, or another advanced treatment may be appropriate.
A wound should be professionally evaluated when it is deep, worsening, painful, draining, showing signs of infection, or not making clear progress after about two weeks. People with diabetes, poor circulation, limited mobility, or a recent operation should seek help sooner because complications can develop quickly.
Call 877-545-1300 or request a provider to begin care. Healix360 serves Southern California and Nevada and accepts Medicare Part B and most major insurance plans.