Foot infection

[j3nny3lf]

My ankle bone has been sore today, and my son pointed out that there was a very tiny scab on it. My husband took a look at it for me, it is about 1 mm across, and when he prodded it, it came off and very thick white pus began oozing out of it. The whole area around it is sore, about the size of a quarter.

I won't be able to get to a doctor until at least Friday, because our car is in the shop and we live way way out in the country. In the mean time, how can I keep the infection from progressing? Should I pour rubbing alcohol on it or something like that? Antibiotic ointment? Any advice will be very helpful. If the pain gets much worse or spreads, I will call an ambulance and go to the ER, but without insurance I really need to avoid that kind of expense if I can.

[JDRF-Team-CDB]

Hi there,
I'm sorry about your pain. This is a forum for type-1 diabetics, and I'm afraid I don't know much about infections. That said, yes, it makes sense to clean it with warm water and soap and put some antibiotic ointment on it, and try to keep it elevated until you can get to the doctor. Good luck with it.

[j3nny3lf]

I'm a diabetic, I thought foot infections were a diabetic complication. Sorry for misposting.

[JDRF Team SGG]

You are correct that foot infections can be a problem for diabetics. So don't apologize, for your question is a smart one... and yes, DO watch it carefully and clean it. You also might want to avoid wearing socks or shoes on that foot (slippers will keep the wound free of other contact) so as to avoid contact between the infected area and anything that might contain other bacteria. Do go to see your doctor soon, just to be safe. If you notice any increase in swelling or redness )or other discoloration) or pus continues to come from the wound in spite of your care for it, then I would indeed go to see an emergency room doctor. Diabetics often don't have good circulation in feet and also sometimes don't have as sensitive nerves in feet if nerves have been damaged by the disease. So foot infections are more dangerous for the diabetic than for other people. Do try to keep your glucose levels down as normal as possible, too, for this will help your body work better to fight off the infection.