This page provides general health information and does not diagnose an individual condition. Persistent, worsening or concerning symptoms should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health professional.
Common types of wounds
- Abrasions: superficial scrapes caused by friction or falls.
- Lacerations: deeper cuts that may require closure.
- Puncture wounds: injuries from nails, splinters or thorns that can carry bacteria deep into tissue.
- Ulcers: open wounds often associated with poor circulation, pressure or diabetes.
- Diabetic foot ulcers: wounds influenced by reduced sensation, circulation and repetitive pressure.
- Pressure injuries: wounds caused by prolonged pressure, especially with reduced mobility.
How are wounds assessed?
A clinician will examine the wound, how it occurred and factors that may delay healing, including diabetes, circulation problems, smoking, medications and infection risk.
Treatment options
Treatment may include cleaning, removal of damaged tissue where appropriate, specialised dressings, pressure relief, infection management and advice on protecting the wound. Some wounds require antibiotics, imaging or specialist medical/surgical care.
Why diabetes matters
Reduced sensation can mean injuries are not noticed, while reduced circulation can slow healing. A small wound can therefore become serious if left untreated.
Seek prompt care if a wound is deep, keeps bleeding, exposes deeper tissue, shows increasing redness, swelling, pus or fever, or is not healing as expected. People with diabetes should have any foot wound assessed as soon as possible.
The Footpath Health approach
Footpath Health is designed to help you move from a symptom or question toward an appropriate next step without pretending that an online article can make an individual diagnosis. Depending on the problem, that next step may be self-management, podiatry, physiotherapy or GP assessment, imaging or specialist care.
Still not sure what the right next step is?
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