7 Signs That a Foot Wound Is Becoming Infected

Millions of Americans share a risk: foot, ankle, and leg wounds that, at best, heal very slowly and, at worst, lead to infection, tissue death, and amputation.

By the numbers, this risk applies to the more than 40 millions Americans who have diabetes, the more than 25 million Americans who have chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), and the 12 million Americans who have peripheral artery disease (PAD). To be sure, there’s some crossover in these numbers, but the final tally is a large one.

If you include yourself in this mix, the team at Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County, with board-certified wound specialist Dr. Thomas Rambacher at the helm, wants to talk to you about recognizing the early signs of an infected wound. 

The road to infection

The reason people with diabetes, CVI, and PAD should be concerned is that not only does each of the conditions place you at risk for foot, ankle, and leg ulcers, they also prevent healing, which leaves you open to infection.

The reason this happens is because with each of the conditions we mention above, the circulation in your legs can be compromised, which prevents healing resources and oxygen from accessing your wound. As a result, your body is unable to fight off infection-causing bacteria.

To give you an idea about how big this threat is, about half of the 1.6 million diabetic foot ulcers that develop each year in the United States become infected, and 20% of these infections lead to amputation.

Given this reality, it’s important for people to recognize the early signs of infection so they can take action. 

Warning signs of a brewing infection

Now let’s get into some signs that your foot, ankle, or lower leg wound is becoming infected, which include:

1. The wound isn’t healing

A key indicator that your wound might be headed for infection is if it’s not healing well. Most small wounds heal within a week as your body initiates its internal healing system. And you should see progress throughout. If your wound seems to be “stuck,” and it remains open, bacteria can get in and infection can take hold.

2. Redness and swelling around the wound

One of the first things you might notice in an infected wound is redness and swelling, especially around the edges of the ulcer. These side effects often go away when you elevate your leg. The edges of the wound turn white again and the swelling might go down.

3. More pain

As a wound heals, you should feel less pain. If you have a wound that’s still painful, or the pain is getting worse, this is a telltale sign of infection. This pain includes tenderness around the wound.

4. Warmth around the wound

When your body is fighting infection, the wound can warm up thanks to the inflammatory response. So, if the area around your ulcer is warm, it likely means there’s infection.

5. Discharging pus

With more advanced infection, the wound can ooze pus, which is thick, cloudy, and foul smelling discharge.

6. Red streaks

If the infection has entered your lymphatic system, it can lead to red streaks that flow out from your wound. This is not a good sign and indicates rapid spreading of the infection.

7. Fever, chills, nausea

If you develop a fever, chills, and/or nausea, this is a clear sign that your body is fighting off a strong infection.

If you’re experiencing any of these signs, we don’t want you to delay coming to see us as early intervention is critical with infected lower limb wounds. To get that set up, simply call our office in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-832-6018 or request an appointment online today.