Diabetic foot

Overview

Diabetes is a disease when the blood glucose level is too high. Diabetes can happen when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin it produces isn’t effective. Or, when your body can’t produce any insulin at all which may result with complications. Some complications of diabetes can be acute and life threatening or chronic which leads to long-term problems that develop gradually and lead to serious damages if undetected and untreated.

Diabetes for a long period of time can lead to serious complications, including foot issues. Diabetes can cause inadequate blood flow or foot numbness in some cases. As a result, cuts, rashes, and blisters could be harder to identify. Untreated wounds that go unnoticed can quickly become infected, which can cause complications and may even require amputation. There are numerous ways to keep safe from injuries and infections.

Diabetes patients frequently experience issues with their feet. They might be more prone to developing infections, deformities, and foot sores.

A diabetic person’s foot ulcer or blister could become infected if it is not treated right away. In order to stop the spread of infection, a surgeon may occasionally need to amputate (remove) a toe, foot, or part of the leg.

Diabetes can result in two issues that could harm your feet:

• Diabetic neuropathy: The nerves might become damaged by uncontrolled diabetes. Patients might not feel heat, cold, or pain in their legs and feet if they have damaged nerves there. “Sensory diabetic neuropathy” is the term for this absence of feeling. A cut or sore on the foot could worsen and become infected if they have neuropathy and are unable to feel it.
• Peripheral vascular disease: The flow of blood is also affected by diabetes. A sore or cut heals more slowly without adequate blood flow. Peripheral vascular disease refers to poor blood flow in the arms and legs. Patients have higher risk of getting ulcers or gangrene if an infection that they have doesn’t heal because of insufficient blood flow.

Symptoms

Diabetes-related neuropathy may exhibit the following symptoms:

• Affected skin that has darkened
• Decrease or loss of sense to hot or cold
• Hair loss in some area
• Numbness or tingling sensation
• Pain

The following signs should be taken note of if diabetes-related neuropathy results in foot ulcers:

• Discoloration of the affected area such as the skin or toenails
• Pain in the legs or feet
• Swelling of the foot or ankle
• Fluid or pus discharge
• Foul smell

Causes

Persistent high blood sugar could cause diabetic neuropathy and peripheral artery disease. The feet may become numb as a result of the illness and therefore patients would not be able to feel a blister, cut, or pain. Untreated and overlooked wounds have the potential to get infectious.

Peripheral artery disease is more likely to occur in people with diabetes. Atherosclerosis causes arteries to constrict or obstruct. Poor circulation (reduced blood flow) might make it challenging for an infection or foot ulcer brought on by diabetes to heal.

Risk factors

People with diabetes frequently experience foot issues, particularly those who:

• Overweight or obesity
• Prolonged uncontrolled diabetes
• Nerve damage or poor blood flow in the feet.
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol level
• Foot deformity such as bunion or hammertoe