These last few years have been good ones for zombies, with movies like World War Z and Warm Bodies, along with shows like The Walking Dead, seeing lots of success. Pop culture is fascinated by the idea of a frightening outbreak that changes the world. Thankfully there aren’t any real infections that turn people “undead”! Actual bacterial infections can be dangerous enough. Even in your feet they cause problems. That’s why you should be familiar with the symptoms of a foot infection, particularly when you’re taking care of a wound.

Infections are serious. They are a problem with invading bacteria inside your body, wreaking havoc with your tissues. Some infections are, of course, worse than others. If you have a preexisting condition that impairs your immune system, like diabetes, then all infections are serious. Any opening in your skin can get infected, so cuts, scrapes, blisters, and puncture wounds all increase the risk.

The best way to deal with an infection is to prevent it altogether by pre-treating the wound and covering it with a bandage. Even so, you really ought to know the symptoms of a foot infection—just in case your preventative measures were not enough. Here are a few signs your foot might be infected:

An increase in pain in or around the wound

An increase of redness or swelling around the break in the skin

Heat or warmth radiating from the skin around the injury

Red streaks spreading out from the affected spot

Draining pus

A fever

A fever is a particularly concerning symptom, since it means the infection is strong enough to make you sick. Any signs of infection should be investigated right away to keep you from getting sick—especially if you have diabetes! Dr. Darren Silvester and the team at Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic is more than happy to help you identify symptoms of a foot infection and take care of the problem. Call our Pleasanton, TX, office at (830) 569-3338 for an appointment or more information.