How does diabetes affect wound healing?

When a person has diabetes, wounds can take longer to heal, which can increase the risk of
infections and other complications developing.

A person who manages their diabetes well can improve the rate at which wounds heal and reduce
the chances of developing a severe infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), around 30.3 million people in the United States
have a type of diabetes, and many of these people experience complications caused by infected
wounds.

In this article, we look at the effects of diabetes on wound healing and ways to reduce the risk of
complications.

Diabetes and wound healing

For people with diabetes, wounds heal more slowly and are prone to infection.

Minor wounds, cuts, and burns are an unfortunate but unavoidable part of life. However, for people
with diabetes, these injuries can lead to serious health issues.

Many people with diabetes develop wounds that are slow to heal, do not heal well, or never heal.
Sometimes, an infection might develop.

An infection can spread to tissue and bone near the wound or more distant areas of the body. In
some cases, and without emergency care, an infection can be life-threatening or may even be fatal.

Even when an infection does not develop in a wound, slow healing can adversely affect a person's
overall health and quality of life. Cuts or injuries on the feet or legs can make walking difficult or
exercise painful.

It is essential that people who have diabetes keep their blood sugar levels under control to reduce
the risk of slow-healing wounds and complications, including foot ulcers.
According to some reports, foot ulcers will develop in about 1 in 4 people with diabetes. Foot ulcers
are painful sores that can ultimately lead to foot amputation.

According to an article in the American Journal of Managed Care (AMJC), about 230
amputations take place every day in the United States as a result of diabetes.

Causes

A 2013 study found a clear correlation between blood glucose and wound healing.

The research revealed that people undergoing surgery for chronic diabetes wounds were more likely
to heal fully if they were controlling their blood glucose well at the time of surgery.

Diabetes causes impairment in the body's production of or sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that
allows the cells to take and use glucose from the bloodstream for energy. This disruption to insulin
makes it more difficult for the body to manage blood glucose levels.

When blood glucose remains permanently high, it impairs the function of white blood cells. White
blood cells are central to the role of the immune system. When white blood cells are unable to
function correctly, the body is less able to fight bacteria and close wounds.

People with uncontrolled diabetes may develop poor circulation. As circulation slows down, blood
moves more slowly, which makes it more difficult for the body to deliver nutrients to wounds. As a
result, the injuries heal slowly, or may not heal at all.

Diabetes can also cause neuropathy (nerve damage), which can also affect wound healing.
Uncontrolled blood glucose can damage the nerves, numbing sensations in the area. This may mean
that people with diabetes who sustain trauma to their feet might not be aware of the injury.

If a person is not aware of an injury, they might not receive treatment, which might allow the wound
to worsen. A combination of slow healing and reduced sensation in the area significantly increases
the risk of infection.

People with either type 1 or type 2 diabeteshave an increased risk of developing a bacterial infection
in the wound.
Factors that may increase this risk include:

 impaired sweating
 dry and cracked skin
 toenail infections
 foot abnormalities, such as Charcot's foot

Other ways diabetes might affect wound healing include:

 reduced production of growth and healing hormones

 decreased production and repair of new blood vessels
 a weakened skin barrier
 reduced collagen production

The cause of diabetes wound to heal is blood sugar levels in the body that are too high. This
damages the nerves, decreases the immune system, and causes blood circulation to deteriorate,
thereby inhibiting the process of repairing damaged body tissues.