Are you suffering from diabetes? Or are you taking care of your foot daily?
The reason for asking the above question is because the foot is the only part of the body which is ignored generally and people usually don’t know that their foot needs immense care as well especially if they are diabetic patients. The most common problem which occurs in diabetic patients is called ‘Diabetic Foot’!
According to a study about 85% of limb surgeries occur due to diabetic foot ulcers!
Diabetic foot is a serious ailment that affects millions of people around the world. It occurs when the blood vessels and nerves in the feet become damaged due to diabetes and can lead to amputation if not treated and cared for properly. A Diabetic patient needs to be aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetic foot, as well as how to prevent it from occurring initially.
This article will discuss diabetic foot in greater detail, including its causes, symptoms, treatments, and prevention strategies of a diabetic foot.
Causes of a Diabetic Foot
- Nerve Damage
Diabetic foot generally occurs because of nerve damage inside the foot and isn’t able to transmit messages from the brain. Their impairment leads to dismissing any cut, jerk, or wound in the foot and that’s because of loss of pain due to the damaged nerves and neurotransmitters of the feet.
- High Blood Sugar Levels
Blood sugar levels that are tough to supervise can be a substantial cause of diabetic foot. People having generally high blood sugar or those who do not follow some strict diet plans are generally found with high blood sugar levels in their bloodstream.
- Obesity
Obesity is one of the main reasons for many conditions like high blood pressure, heart troubles, thyroid, diabetes, and higher levels of cholesterol. A patient with over body weight has to suffer additional problems in their life along with diabetes. Due to obesity, the restricted movements of limbs can be the major cause of a diabetic foot.
- Poor Blood Circulation
Generally, blood circulation in the foot is minimal as compared to the other parts of the body, and restriction of movements can impact that minimal blood flow in the limbs that cause severe ulcers, sore feet, or sometimes even removal of a part of the leg to save the life of a person. One needs to walk daily or involve yoga and exercise in their daily routine to prevent restriction of movements of the limbs.
- Avoid Injury
Any Injury can be turned out severe in the case of diabetes. Loss of pain due to nerve damage is a common symptom of the diabetic foot and loss of nerves leads to banishing the cuts, wounds, swelling, redness, blisters, corns, sore nail, etc that resulting in the development of big wounds and even leads to amputation of the foot to prevent infection from spreading to other parts the body.
Treatments for a Diabetic Foot
There are several treatments for a diabetic foot but the treatment is dependent upon the severity of the ailment. But it has two procedures to be done when one suspects any unhealed wound in their feet.
- Non – Surgical treatment
- Surgical treatment
Non-surgical treatment
A vascular surgeon first tries to treat the diabetic foot without amputation and the methods include:-
- Prescribing doses of antibiotics to treat the wound.
- Keeping the leg clean and dressed to avoid any further infection inside the wound.
- Recommending daily yoga exercises and a long slow walk to prevent peripheral vascular diseases.
- Closely observe gangrene.
- Recommend using a walking cast or total contact cast.
- By controlling blood sugar levels.
- Strictly avoid alcohol and smoking
- Recommend strict diets that should be followed daily.
- Regular examination of the feet to prevent amputation, infections, and gangrene.
Surgical treatment
When non-surgical treatments fail to heal a diabetic foot then the doctor might advise surgery. Surgical treatments included:-
- Dumping of dead and decaying tissues of the unhealed part.
- Removal of a part could be a toe of a full leg above the knee to prevent the spreading of infections to the other parts of the body.
- Extracting ingrown toenails.
- To assist proper blood flow in the area the doctor will perform arterial bypass surgery in case of peripheral vascular disease.
- Perform endovascular surgery that includes the fitting of small devices that keep the blood vessels open and prevent restriction of systemic circulation anywhere in the body.
- Stabilizing charcoal foot surgically.
Conclusion:
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects the feet in many modes. Diabetic foot is a common complication of diabetes and can have serious outcomes if not overseen properly. It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetic foot so that it can be treated quickly and effectively. It is also important to take preventative steps such as regular foot care and monitoring blood sugar levels to decrease the risk of developing diabetic foot. By taking these steps, people with diabetes can help themselves to ensure their feet stay healthy and free from any future complications.
One can also get diabetic foot treatment in Jaipur through Dr Ashish Airen, who is a prominent and renowned consultant and diabetic foot surgeon in Jaipur.