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Gangrene

How Can Our Podiatrist Bayside NY Help Your Gangrene?

Gangrene is a potentially life-threatening condition that can lead to several complications, including loss of limbs and death. At Great Neck Family Foot Care, Dr. Hochstein is experienced in diagnosing and treating this condition. If you believe that you are dealing with gangrene, do not hesitate to seek treatment from a podiatrist Bayside NY. 

What is Gangrene?

Gangrene is tissue death caused by lack of blood flow, particularly in the lower extremities. This condition is severe and requires urgent treatment from a podiatrist Bayside NY to prevent the spread of tissue death. While gangrene usually affects the extremities, it can also occur in the organs and muscles inside your body. Signs and symptoms of gangrene affecting the skin include:

  • Swelling. 
  • Skin discoloration.
  • Blisters.
  • Severe pain followed by numbness. 
  • Skin that feels cold to the touch. 
  • Foul-smelling discharge leaking from sores. 
  • Hairless skin or thin, shiny skin. 

If you have gangrene that affects the tissues beneath the skin’s surface, you may experience a fever or generally feel ill. Gangrene can be caused by a lack of blood flow to the feet. However, gangrene can also stem from a traumatic injury or an untreated bacterial infection. Patients with underlying conditions like diabetes or atherosclerosis have an increased risk of developing gangrene.

Treatment

Gangrene requires immediate intervention to avoid life-threatening complications like amputation, septic shock, or death. The expert podiatrist Bayside NY can assess your condition and recommend a treatment that can potentially increase blood flow to the area. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase the oxygen in your bloodstream, and antibiotics can kill the infection. To remove the dead tissue and stop the infection from spreading, surgery is necessary. Dead tissue on your feet is extremely dangerous, and you should get treatment to save your feet and prevent life-threatening conditions from occurring. Unfortunately, dead tissue cannot be restored, but there are ways to prevent the problem from spreading and save the limbs that have not progressed too far. 

Prevention

Our podiatrist Bayside NY can suggest a few ways to lower your risk of developing this condition:

  • Stay proactive in managing your diabetes. 
  • Lose weight to ease pressure on your arteries. When your blood flow is constricted, it can put you at risk of infection and cause wounds to heal slowly. 
  • Quit smoking.
  • Prevent infections by cleaning open wounds and keeping them dry as they heal. 
  • Beware of frostbite. 

Contact Our Podiatrist Bayside NY 

If you are experiencing any of the gangrene symptoms, do not hesitate to get it checked out. Our staff at Great Neck Family Foot Care are experienced in diagnosing and treating several foot and ankle conditions, including gangrene. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hochstein.