What is a diabetic foot and how is it treated

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You can lose your legs due to diabetes.

What is a diabetic foot

It is a complication of Diabetic Foot / U. S. National Library of Medicine diabetes mellitus, when blood vessels and nerves in the legs and feet are damaged due to high blood glucose levels. Therefore, a person does not feel that he has injured his skin, and wounds heal for a long time and become easily infected. If the infection is not noticed in time, it will penetrate deep into the tissues and reach the bones. In this case, doctors will have to amputate part of the leg.

How does a diabetic foot develop?

If a person with diabetes does not follow the doctor's recommendations or the treatment is not chosen correctly, the glucose concentration will be higher than normal. This will damage the Diabetic neuropathy / Mayo Clinic nerves. As a result, they will not be able to effectively transmit signals to the brain, and the person will no longer feel anything. For example, if he steps on a sharp nail, he will not notice the pain, and the foot will be injured.

In addition, glucose has a bad effect on blood vessels: it causes Diabetic Foot Ulcers / Medscape to thicken the walls of arteries and capillaries. Because of this, blood flow in them deteriorates, so the tissues receive less oxygen and nutrients and are destroyed faster.

What does a diabetic foot lead to?

Diabetic Neuropathy Clinical Presentation / Medscape complications usually develop over several years. But everything is individual and depends on the level of sugar in the blood. The consequences can be as follows.

Non-healing ulcers and wounds

They appear Diabetic Foot Ulcers / Medscape after an accidental cut or minor injury to the sole. Due to circulatory problems, even small wounds hardly heal and turn into ulcers. Sometimes they are so deep that they reach the bones and lead to inflammation, or osteomyelitis.

What to do

It is necessary to tell the endocrinologist about the appearance of a wound or ulcer so that he helps to lower the glucose level, otherwise no therapy will work. Then the surgeon will select the treatment for the injuries themselves:

• Unloading device. Diabetic Foot Ulcers Treatment & Management / Medscape can be special covers for the finger, non-removable devices that fix the foot in such a position that when walking, a person puts less pressure on the wound, and finger struts. In some cases, a felt insole is sufficient for the shoe.
• Medicines for the care and healing of wounds. If it's dry, Diabetic Foot Ulcers Treatment & Management / Medscape antibacterial moisturizers will do. And for a weeping ulcer, a bandage with a sorbent is used, which will absorb excess moisture. Your doctor may also recommend wound antiseptics and antibiotics.
• Vascular surgery. This will happen Diabetic Foot Ulcers Treatment & Management / Medscape if the specialist finds that there is very poor blood flow in the arteries.
• Foot surgery. Surgical intervention is needed Diabetic Foot Ulcers Treatment & Management / Medscape if there is a lot of destroyed tissue in the wound, a crust has formed that interferes with healing, or gangrene develops. In the latter case, blood flow in the foot stops, and its tissues completely die off. This will require amputation of the leg above the level of damage.

Infections

Due to the deposition of Diabetic Foot Infections / Medscape glucose in the vessels of the foot, blood cannot enter the tissues, as in a healthy person. If at the same time injure the foot, bacteria will penetrate into the wound, and leukocytes from the blood will not be able to get to the site of injury. Therefore, diabetes often develops:

• cellulite - inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, which is also on the foot;
• infections of the skin and soft tissues;
• acute and chronic osteomyelitis.

In diabetic feet, inflammation is usually caused by Diabetic Foot Infections / Medscape streptococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus.

What to do

You need to regularly examine your feet and, if even a small injury appears, go to an endocrinologist. He will prescribe Diabetic Foot Infections Treatment & Management / Medscape antiseptics and antibiotics. If the infection has penetrated to the bone, surgery will be needed.

Charcot's arthropathy

This is the name of Charcot Foot / American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeon, a condition in which, due to the damage to the nerves and ligaments caused by diabetes, the joints and bones of the foot are weakened. Therefore, fractures and dislocations easily occur. Arthropathy has the following symptoms:

• redness;
• swelling;
• increased skin temperature;
• pain in the foot;
• deformation - the foot can become bent with a rocker.

What to do

You need to see an orthopedist. He will take an X-ray and select a treatment. To relieve the condition, the doctor may suggest Charcot Foot / American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeon:

• Immobilization, or limitation of mobility. This is to protect the foot from damage. Therefore, the person will be offered a plaster cast or a special ankle brace. Or maybe you even have to use crutches or get around in a wheelchair.
• Orthopedic footwear. It will strengthen the arch of the foot, protect against stress or fracture.
• Decreased activity. To avoid repetitive leg injuries.
• Operation. If the joints or ligaments are severely damaged or deformed.

How to spot signs of a diabetic foot

In order to find the symptoms of pathology as early as possible, doctors advise examining the legs every day. Here's what to look out for Patient education: Foot care for people with diabetes (Beyond the Basics) / UpToDate:

• small cuts, injuries;
• areas where the skin is hot to the touch;
• redness;
• tingling or lack of sensitivity;
• blisters or calluses;
• ingrown nails;
• sharp pain or cramps;
• very cold feet;
• blue discoloration or pallor of the skin;
• dryness and flaking;
• various deformities of the foot.

You can try to feel for a pulse by pressing your finger directly under the bone at the bottom of the lower leg on the inside. If the tremors are not felt, this is also an alarming sign.

In any case, injuries, wounds or ulcers cannot be tried to heal on their own, you must seek help from a specialist.

How to prevent the development of a diabetic foot

The main method of prevention is the correct treatment of diabetes mellitus, which allows you to maintain normal blood glucose levels. In addition, Patient education: Foot care for people with diabetes (Beyond the Basics) / UpToDate is better:

• Quit smoking. Cigarettes impair blood flow in the vessels.
• Don't go barefoot. This will help prevent injury.
• Do not use foot warmers, but check the water temperature before taking a bath to avoid scalding.
• Cut your nails carefully. Do not cut them at the corners to avoid injuring the skin.
• Observe hygiene. Wash and dry your feet daily to prevent infection.
• Choose the right shoes. It should have a wide toe, fit snugly around the foot, but not squeeze it. It is not recommended to wear sandals, slippers or sandals.
• Caring for diabetic feet / American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society no more than 2 hours straight.
• Wear loose cotton socks. They do not pinch the lower leg. And they need to be changed every day.
• Get regular checkups for Diabetic foot problems / American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society. If there are no signs of a diabetic foot, it is sufficient to visit the orthopedic surgeon once a year. And if symptoms of the disease have already appeared, then every 1-2 months.
• Do not sit cross-legged. This impairs blood flow.