Slow wound healing and related complications are common in diabetes. Compromised blood circulation and nerve damage are among the causes of delayed recovery in people with diabetes.

Foot ulcers are particularly common in people with diabetes. Slow wound healing may lead these ulcers to worsen or you could develop infections and tissue damage.

For this reason, it’s important to do regular self-checks and closely monitor any wounds in your body closely, especially in your feet. Detecting and treating wounds early when you have diabetes may reduce the chance of complications.

Wound healing and recovery may be delayed in people with diabetes due to a number of factors.

Reduced blood circulation

Elevated blood sugar levels in diabetes may affect your blood vessels, narrowing and hardening them over time. This, in turn, often results in reduced blood flow, especially to your limbs.

Reduced blood flow also means decreased essential nutrients and oxygen, which are critical for wound healing.

Neuropathy

Chronic high blood sugar levels also lead to nerve damage or neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy (affecting the limbs) is common in people with diabetes.

Nerve damage causes reduced sensation, which may mean you don’t notice injuries as they happen or don’t realize they are worsening. This could lead to wounds going untreated for a long time.

Compromised immune response

Diabetes may reduce your immune system’s ability to respond promptly when needed. For example, if a wound is developing an infection, your immune system may not be as effective at fighting it.

Infection is a common complication of slow wound healing.

Bacteria also thrive on high blood sugar, which may help bacterial infections develop quicker and more severely.

Untreated or complicated infections may lead to gangrene or sepsis.

Increased inflammation levels

Diabetes is associated with higher chronic inflammation levels and tissue damage related to oxidative stress.

Although acute inflammation is an important and needed component of healing, chronic inflammation may lead to slow recovery. This is mainly due to the prolonged presence of inflammatory substances (like cytokines) and impaired cellular function that delays the healing process.

Open wounds that are not carefully monitored could quickly progress into more serious complications, such as:

  • Infections: Slow healing may allow bacteria to invade and multiply in the affected tissues.
  • Ulcers: People with diabetes commonly develop ulcers in their feet, which may become infected and affect deeper tissues like muscles and bones.
  • Amputation: When infections or ulcers progress, you may need an emergency surgical intervention to remove the affected areas to prevent further spread.
  • Gangrene: Tissue may die (gangrene) when it doesn’t receive adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients. Dead tissue cannot heal and could be the ideal environment for infections and other complications. This may also lead to amputation.
  • Sepsis: Slow wound healing in diabetes may mean that a small injury becomes a large ulcer or severe infection. Untreated superficial infections may develop into more serious ones, including one affecting your bloodstream (sepsis). Sepsis is a medical emergency.

These tips may help reduce complications related to slow wound healing in diabetes:

  • Regular self-checks: Checking your body every day, especially your feet, may help you identify wounds early and avoid infections and complications. Don’t forget to check in between and under your toes.
  • Managing diabetes: Checking and managing your blood sugar levels and following your treatment closely is the best way to prevent complications related to slow wound healing.
  • Proper wound care: If you identify a new wound, it’s important to clean the area and replace dressings regularly. Medical care is important if the wound doesn’t improve within a few days, you notice swelling or pus in the area, or experience pain.
  • Avoiding would pressure: Wearing tight clothing, bandages, and dressings may prevent proper healing.

Slow wound healing is common in people with diabetes due to the damage that chronic high blood sugar levels cause to nerves and blood vessels. Infections, ulcers, and amputation may be complications of untreated wounds. Managing blood sugar levels, doing self-checks daily, and keeping wounds clean may help reduce the risks of diabetic delayed wound healing.