Gangrene is a serious condition in which a part of the body begins to decay.
This process is often described as tissue death ornecrosis.
Gangrene can result insepsis(blood infection) or complete loss of the affected extremity.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
It can worsen rapidly and is life-threatening if left untreated.
Learn more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of this serious condition.
There are a number of risk factors that increase the chances of developing this condition.
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Diabetes can also cause impaired wound healing and a weakened ability to fight off infections.
Neuropathy:A condition characterized by decreased sensation of the hands and feet,neuropathydoes not directly cause gangrene.
These impairments can prevent you from giving injuries and infections the attention they deserve.
Vascular disease:Disease of blood vessels can result in obstruction of blood flow.
Pressure sore:A wound can develop on the surface of the skin due to long-term pressure.
Severe trauma can also cause compression of injured regions of the body, preventing adequate blood flow.
Weak immune system:A weak immune system makes it difficult for you to fight infections.
While it is not an absolute rule, gangrene is often characterized by a lack of early symptoms.
Gangrene typically affects the extremities, and it begins in the areas farthest away from your bodys central core.
While it often starts in the periphery, gangrene may work its way closer to your core.
The intestines and gallbladder are the organs that are most prone to gangrene.
Complications
Gangrene typically begins in one or a few areas of the body.
Complications of gangrene may include a variety of conditions.
Tissue Necrosis
Gangrene is often described as dying tissue or dead tissue.
When this occurs, the area must be amputated (surgically removed).
Necrotizing Fasciitis
Necrotic tissue can become severely infected, usually due to bacteria from the skins surface.
This condition is often associated with warmth, pain, and swelling of the affected region.
Sepsis and Shock
A gangrenous infection can spread throughout the body, resulting in sepsis.
There are several medical and surgical treatment strategies for gangrene.
Furthermore, with either punch in of gangrene, removing dead tissue is importantdebridement or amputation is often necessary.
Your healthcare providers may begin antibiotics immediately with a broad-spectrum antibiotic that kills most bacterial infections.
The process of removing this tissue is calleddebridement.
Hyperbaric oxygen is also a potential treatment.
This involves sitting in a chamber to breathe air that contains more concentrated oxygen than the air around us.
The purpose of this therapy is to optimize healing.
Interestingly, the use of sterile maggots is making a comeback in treating gangrene.
Maggots are excellent at eating away dead tissue while leaving viable tissue alone.
In these situations, amputation is necessary to prevent a life-threatening infection from spreading throughout the whole body.
Taking Care of Skin
Strategies for preventing gangrene include inspecting your skin.
Change your bandage regularly.
Clean wounds with warm water or a gentle antiseptic before covering with a bandage to prevent infections.
Take care of your skin, especially if you have neuropathy.
Seek urgent medical attention if you dont feel better within a few minutes.
Overall Health
If you smoke, it is best to stop.
Smoking contributes to vascular disease which can, in some cases, contribute to gangrene.
In addition, poorly controlled blood sugar leads to vascular disease, increasing your chances of developing gangrene.
it’s possible for you to manage your blood sugar with diet and medication if you have diabetes orpre-diabetes.
Anti-hypertensive meditation, exercise, and diet are all ways of controlling hypertension.
In some instances, an extremity is in danger of developing gangrene due to severe vascular disease.
Discuss your options with your healthcare provider.
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