Gangrene is when a part of the body becomes dead or in medical term, the death of a tissue in part of the body. Gangrene occurs when there is no blood supply to the affected area and results in infection, vascular disease or some sort of trauma. Trauma can be things such as a car accident, diabetes, severe burns or frostbite. People with a low immune system such as having HIV or someone who has just undergone chemotherapy and radiation are very susceptible to getting gangrene. The most common area for gangrene to be present is in the feet, hands, fingers and toes. There are two types of gangrene; dry gangrene and wet gangrene.
Dry gangrene usually does not become infected but does slowly progress. Dry gangrene is a result of the blood flow to the arteries being reduced. Symptoms of dry gangrene are cold, dark and dry skin tissue that will sloughs off. Increased cholesterol levels as well as a blockage of the arteries, smoking, diabetes and a family history are all factors when it comes to dry gangrene. Wet gangrene is an infected area that has been left untreated. This in turn will result in the infected area to set up bacterial infection that will stop blood flow.
Symptoms of gangrene include the following: Dry gangrene will present cold and numb skin tissue, skin that starts out red color then turns brown then to black and has a shriveled appearance. Wet gangrene will appear as a swollen affected area with intense pain with oozing, foul smelling odor; color of the affected area becomes very dark in color and then produces a fever in the person. A person having gas gangrene will have a wound that is infected and the skin will appear brownish-red and may have a discharge of the same color as blood. When the affected area has pressure applied to it, a crackling sound may happen. Affected area becomes swollen with sever pain and a fever will develop a fever which will increase is heart rate.
If you have any of the above symptoms, it is best to consult your doctor immediately to get the proper and appropriate care especially if the wound has not healed in 2 weeks and the area has become blue or black with a fever that is unexplainable and you have blood or a foul smelling odor coming from the wound. The most effective treatment for gangrene is antibiotics and/or surgery. The dead tissue of the affected body part will be removed in order for the infected area to heal. In more extreme cases, if gangrene is left untreated, amputation of the body part may be preformed. That is why immediate attention is required if you suspect you may have gangrene. A stay in the hospital is normal as the infected area has to be treated. X-rays, CT scans, blood tests and identifying the infection are some of the first things a doctor will do to begin the cure for gangrene.
