Medical Questions » Diabetes Questions » Question No. 257
| Question: | I am a diabetic and have an ulcer on my ankle that my own general practitioner can' t fix. |
| Answer: | Ulcers on the legs of diabetics are notoriously hard to heal, and may take months even with the best care.
The most important part of the treatment is good control of the diabetes by both diet and medication. Once this is achieved, the ulcer may heal without any further treatment.
If additional treatment is necessary, the doctor must examine the ulcer carefully to see if it is moist or dry, what type of edge it has, what sort of base it has, and what the skin around it is like. Once these factors have been assessed, an appropriate dressing can be chosen, and applied regularly for several weeks.
As a last resort, a skin graft may be necessary to heal the ulcer.
Please persist with the treatment being given by your own general practitioner.
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