Gangrene is what happens when soft tissues in the body become starved of oxygen and die. This is generally caused by lack of blood flow to the tissue or an infection. Gangrene commonly develops on the outermost extremities such as the hands and feet, but it can affect any soft tissue in the body, including your organs.
Gangrene comes in two main varieties. The first is called dry gangrene, and it tends to develop in people who have diabetes, blood vessel disease, or an autoimmune disorder. It starts on either the tips of the fingers or the tips of the toes. It’s named dry gangrene because the affected areas dry out until they appear to be mummified. Infection is not normally present with dry gangrene.
1. Blister
Many people first notice a blister on their toes or fingers. When infection is present in the body, swelling of the skin occurs and can cause this. Everyone gets them now and then, so it’s not likely the the sight of a blister will set off any alarm bells for many people. If you have a condition or disease that puts you at higher risk for developing gangrene, you should be wary of any appearing on your extremities.
The body normally would begin the process of fighting the infection and repairing the damaged tissue, but if blood can’t flow through the limb then the body can’t fight the infection. The stagnant blood in the limb because a home for the bacteria causing the infection to multiply. The more the the bacteria multiply the more the limb will swell.
2. Blue Skin From Poor Circulation
Our blood is a bright red color when it is oxygenated, and it’s carried by our arteries to supply oxygen throughout our bodies. After our blood finishes spreading the oxygen through our bodies, it gets carried by the veins back to the heart, so it can begin its journey over again. If there’s a blockage in a limb, no blood can be carried through. The blood becomes stagnant and turns a dark red, almost black. When our skin doesn’t get the new batch of oxygenated blood, it starts to turn blue. This is known as cyanosis, and it’s a serious sign that should not be dismissed.
3. Dark Scab
A dark scab can form over the blistered area. This is known as an eschar. Eschars differ from scabs because eschars are made up of necrotic tissue whereas scabs are made from dried blood. They often present as leathery and dry that can be a dark brown or black color. Escar works similarly as a scab. It’s part of your body’s process of trying to heal itself. In many cases, your doctor will let the eschar fall off on it’s own as the body repairs the tissue underneath it. Sometimes a doctor will remove it prematurely, especially if the wound underneath it is infected.
4. Discoloration
You’ll notice discoloration in the limb after blood flow has stagnated. When the limb becomes starved of new oxygenated blood, the cells in the limb begin to die. This symptom happens after the skin takes on a blue hue from lack of oxygen. The discoloration you experience will vary depending on what stage of death your cells are.You might notice a yellow to green skin tint at first and then a more brown to black color as the cell death progresses. This is a medical emergency, and you should seek out medical attention immediately if you experience this sort of discoloration.
5. Ulcers
An ulcer is a sore that can develop from poor circulation. It develops because tissue begins disintegrating. They can start out very small and grow if circulation remains poor. The tissue disintegration can continue until bone becomes exposed. They are most often found on the legs and feet, but they can develop anywhere. You may notice a red tint in the skin surrounding the ulcer. This is a sign of infection. Ulcers can be painful or numb. The are around the ulcer may itch. You should contact your doctor if you’re developing skin ulcers as they are a sign of an underlying health issue.
6. Fever
Fever is one of your bodies many defenses against an illness or infection in the body. Bacteria and viruses have a hard time living in higher temperatures, so your body heats up in an attempt to weaken and kill any viruses and bacteria that tries to make you sick. If you gangrene is caused by an infection that you will most likely experience fever as your body tries to fight the infection off. If the infection manages to get into your blood, you’ll experience the opposite. Your temperature will drop below normal. This is a dangerous condition called sepsis, and it is fatal if not treated immediately.
7. Low Blood Pressure
Another sign that the infection has gotten into your blood is low blood pressure. Blood pressure is the amount of pressure blood exerts on the walls of the arteries and veins as it passes through them. You may feel dizzy, nauseous, and fatigued if your blood pressure drops below optimal levels. The reason blood pressure drops when the infection gets into the bloodstream is because the body’s immune system still tries to fight the infection. The immune response causes inflammation throughout the cardiovascular system. The inflammation causes the blood vessels to dilate, which drops your blood pressure. Infection in the blood is a medical emergency.
8. Creaky Joints
Creaking joints can also be described as cracking, popping, crunching, or noisy joints. The medical term for this is crepitus. Crepitus happens in healthy individuals and is normally just the sound of gases escaping the joints, but it can also be a sign of a health issue. If the soft tissue of the joints are affected by infection they can swell and crackle. With gangrene the infection attacks the soft tissue of the joints in the same manner that it attacks your other soft tissue. The joint tissue begins to die and break down, and it can not perform its job properly.
9. Pus
Pus is liquid that can sometimes leak from a wound. It tends to be white, cream, white-yellow, brownish, or green in color. It is mostly made up of tissue debris, dead bacteria, and dead white blood cells. When it is present, it is a sign of an infection. You’re body’s immune system floods the area in an attempt to fight the infection. If the it is green and smells bad, this is a sign of bacterial infection. Wet gangrene is often called such because of the amounts of pus you experience with it. All the pus gives the skin, ulcers, and any other wounds a very wet look.
10. Reduced Sensation of Touch
As your soft tissue dies, you will experienced a reduced sensation of touch. When your limbs of starved of blood, everything within the limb begins to die, including the nerves that carry the sense of touch to your brain. This can affect you in many way. You may not notice if you begin developing ulcers because you won’t experience the pain of the wound as you normally would. A reduced sensation of touch can occur with many serious conditions, so even if you don’t experience any other symptom on this list, it is important to talk to your doctor if you start losing your ability to distinguish touch.
