Gangrene

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This is a very serious medical condition. The loss of blood supply cause body tissue to die. This is a very painful horrible condition normally affecting the fingers, hands, toes and feet although it can occur in different parts of the body. Gangrene can occur in people with long term condition like diabetes, or any circulatory disease. Where the veins and arteries get blocked with a fatty substance called plaque. Symptoms include: Redness or swelling in affected area Loss of sensation in body areas or severe pain Sores of blisters that leak foul smelling pus. Most cases of gangrene can be prevented by following these easy steps: Early detection with doctor’s appointments to check feet Stop smoking Exercise on a regular basis A low fat diet Healthy lifestyle plenty of fresh fruit, veg and lean meats Cut down on alcohol The treatments for gangrene are: Antibiotics and surgery to remove infected tissue Maggot therapy where the maggots are placed on infected tissues leaving the healthy tissue behind while eating the infected tissue Surgery to repair the arteries, bringing back the blood supply In severe cases removal of fingers, toes, feet or any part of the body that is infected; this is called amputation. Info : from NHS choices website.