Wound Care

Wound care at our Suffolk County offices

Topical medications and in-office debridement for diabetic, vascular, pressure, postsurgical and radiation wounds, with referral for specialized treatment such as hyperbaric oxygen when a wound needs it. Because our physiatrists also manage the conditions underneath these wounds, treatment addresses the cause and not only the wound surface. That matters most in diabetic wound care, where a wound that keeps returning is usually telling you something about glucose control or footwear rather than about the dressing.

• Diabetic wounds — foot ulcers and slow-healing wounds where elevated blood sugar and reduced sensation delay closure
• Vascular wounds — venous and arterial ulcers where blood flow is the limiting factor
• Bed sores — pressure injuries developing over the heels, hips, sacrum, and other bony areas during limited mobility
• Postsurgical wounds — incisions that have opened, drained, or failed to close on schedule
• Radiation wounds — skin breakdown following radiation therapy
• Prosthetic and orthotic wounds — skin breakdown at the socket or brace interface
• Acute injuries — traumatic wounds requiring ongoing management rather than a single dressing

Wound care at our practice begins with topical medications and debridement, both performed in the office. Where a wound needs treatment beyond what an office setting provides, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we refer for specialized care.

Debridement is the removal of dead or damaged tissue so that healthy tissue can close the wound. It is one of the more effective interventions available for a stalled wound, and the criteria clinics use to identify a non-healing wound are described in patient information published by the National Library of Medicine. We explain what debridement involves and what to expect afterward separately, because it is the step patients most often have questions about.

Patient and family education is treated as part of treatment rather than as an afterthought. Wounds differ from person to person, and a recovery plan only works if the people managing the wound between visits understand what they are looking at and what should happen next.

Most minor wounds heal without medical care. These are the signs that a wound needs to be looked at:

• No sign of healing after two weeks, or a wound still open after six
• Spreading redness, increasing warmth, swelling, or worsening pain
• Drainage that becomes cloudy or foul-smelling
• Fever alongside a wound
• Exposed fat, muscle, or bone
• Any foot wound in a person with diabetes or reduced sensation, regardless of how small it looks

That last one is the one people underestimate. A wound you cannot feel is a wound you will not protect, which is why diabetic foot ulcers are so often found later than they should be.

Have a wound that isn’t healing?

Our physiatrists treat chronic and non-healing wounds in Brightwaters and Patchogue.

Request An Appointment

or call 631-300-0797