Therapeutic pedicure in Coimbra
Foot wound treatment and dressings in Coimbra
Foot wounds and dressing care
A wound on the foot has body weight, shoes and, often, circulation that is no longer at its best working against it. Healing well depends on cleaning, protecting and relieving pressure — and on seeing the wound at the right intervals.
What it is
The feet are one of the areas where wounds heal with most difficulty: they are far from the heart, bear body weight with every step, live inside shoes and, in many people, rely on reduced circulation or sensation. A blister, a crack, a corn that has opened or an infected ingrown toenail can turn into a wound that will not close.
The most common foot wounds are traumatic (cuts, blisters, grazes), those arising from corns, cracks and ingrown toenails, post-operative wounds after nail and foot surgery, pressure ulcers on the heels of bedridden people, and diabetic, venous or arterial ulcers. Each needs a different treatment, but all heal better on the same principle: a wound that is clean, moist to the right degree, protected and free of pressure.
Signs and symptoms
- A wound that does not close after two weeks, or that closes and reopens.
- A blister, cut or graze on a foot with diabetes or poor circulation.
- A post-operative dressing that needs changing after nail or foot surgery.
- A red, warm, swollen area with pus, an unpleasant smell or increasing pain.
- Yellowish, whitish or dark tissue at the base of the wound.
- A wound on the heel of someone who spends a long time lying or sitting.
Most common causes
- Pressure and friction from shoes; blisters from walking or sport.
- Corns, cracks and ingrown toenails that progress to a wound or infection.
- Nail surgery (matricectomy) or foot surgery, with a dressing to maintain.
- Diabetes, arterial or venous disease and neuropathy, which prevent healing.
- Immobility (pressure ulcers), age and fragile skin.
- Inadequate dressing care: a wound that is too dry, irritating products, a poorly fitted dressing.
How it is treated
Here nursing and therapeutic pedicure work together. As a nurse, Priscila assesses the wound — size, depth, tissue at the base, signs of infection, surrounding circulation — cleans it, removes dead tissue when indicated and chooses the dressing best suited to the healing stage: some dressings keep moisture in, others absorb exudate, others contain silver for infected wounds. The right dressing changes over the course of treatment, and so does the interval between changes.
As a therapeutic pedicurist, she treats the mechanical cause: debriding the callus around the wound (which keeps it open), relieving pressure with offloading and adjusting footwear. When it helps healing, laser therapy is added — its light has an anti-inflammatory effect and stimulates new tissue formation and local circulation.
Wounds with infection, exposed bone or tendon, signs of poor circulation or that are not progressing are discussed with your doctor or directed to the emergency department: some situations need antibiotics, tests or surgery, and time matters. Wound treatment and dressing changes can be done at the clinic or at home, for those who cannot travel.
What happens at the appointment
- 1Assessment of the wound, the surrounding skin, circulation and the cause.
- 2Cleaning and, when indicated, removal of non-viable tissue (debridement).
- 3Choice and application of the dressing suited to the type and stage of the wound.
- 4Pressure relief: callus debridement, offloading, footwear advice.
- 5Laser therapy as a complement to healing, when indicated.
- 6Scheduled dressing changes, at the clinic or at home, and liaison with your doctor when necessary.
What you can do at home
- Keep the dressing clean and dry and respect the agreed change interval; do not lift it “to have a look”.
- Do not apply alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine or ointments on your own initiative: they damage new tissue.
- Take the weight off the wound: the footwear recommended at the appointment and rest with the leg raised when possible.
- Check the surrounding skin daily: redness, warmth, swelling or smell are signs to get in touch.
- Eat well (protein, water) and, if you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar controlled: the wound heals with what the body gives it.
- Do not smoke: tobacco reduces the oxygen reaching the wound and delays healing.
When not to wait
Book without delay — or see a doctor — if you notice any of these signs:
- Spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, a strong smell or fever: it may be an infection and needs medical assessment the same day.
- A wound that exposes bone, tendon or black tissue.
- A cold, pale or bluish foot, or severe pain at rest.
- A wound showing no improvement after 2 to 4 weeks of appropriate treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Do you do dressings at home?+
Yes, subject to availability and prior booking by WhatsApp. It is intended for those who cannot travel: post-operative, reduced mobility, bedridden people.
What kinds of wounds do you treat?+
Foot wounds: post-operative nail and foot wounds, blisters, cuts, corns and cracks that have opened, infected ingrown toenails, heel pressure ulcers and diabetic or vascular ulcers, in liaison with your doctor. Wounds with severe infection or exposed bone are directed to hospital.
Do I need a prescription or referral?+
Not for nursing treatment and dressing changes. If the wound needs antibiotics or tests, we direct you to a doctor. If you are already being followed, bring the information from that appointment: it helps choose the dressing and coordinate care.
How often is the dressing changed?+
It depends on the type of dressing and the wound: it may be daily for a wound with a lot of exudate, or every 3 to 7 days with modern dressings that keep moisture in. The interval is set at the appointment and adjusted as the wound progresses.
This information is general and meant to help you understand the problem. It does not replace an individual assessment or medical follow-up. If in doubt, book an appointment. Content reviewed by Priscila Arantes, registered nurse (Ordem dos Enfermeiros no. 117508).
Other problems we treat
Podiatric risk
With diabetes, and other conditions that affect circulation or sensation, the feet need monitoring even without complaints — because the problem is often that you stop feeling. The appointment is there to see what you cannot feel and to treat safely what would be a risk at home.
Learn more →Ingrown toenail
An ingrown toenail is not fixed by cutting deeper. At the appointment the fragment that is hurting is removed, the inflammation is treated and, when the shape of the nail is the cause, a brace corrects it so it does not return.
Learn more →Cracked heels and fissures
Cracks start as dry skin and end up as splits that hurt and bleed. The skin is treated and, more importantly, whatever is drying it out and splitting it is corrected.
Learn more →Corns and calluses · Nail fungus · Plantar wart · Thick or deformed nails