Diabetic Foot

Diabetic Foot

For many people with diabetes, they have a lot to worry about. Balancing blood sugars, taking medications, and watching what you eat can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, people who do not treat or care for their diabetes may find themselves dealing with the consequences of uncontrolled diabetes. One of the most common symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes is diabetic foot issues. This can vary greatly, but in the most severe cases, it can lead to deformities and even amputation.

 

What Causes Diabetic Foot Problems? 

When a person has uncontrolled diabetes, it means that they have too much sugar in their blood. Insulin is a hormone that comes from the pancreas and it helps turn the sugar in a person’s blood into usable energy. When a person’s pancreas stops working properly, this can lead to diabetes. Type 1 diabetics cannot make insulin at all, which means that they need to inject it each time they eat sugar. Type 2 diabetics may also need to take insulin or other medications that can help with insulin production and absorption. When little or no insulin is being made but the patient continues to consume sugar, blood sugar gets higher and higher. This leads to serious complications as the body tries to correct this. Diabetic foot problems are common because of a few reasons: 

 

Blood Flow

One of the main things that happens when the body has long-term high blood sugar is that the blood vessels start to constrict and even harden. The extremities are affected first, so the toes and feet are affected early on. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is one of the main symptoms of high blood sugar, which leads to the aforementioned reduced blood flow. This means that the patient may experience cramping, dry skin, coldness, pain, slowed toenail growth, cramping in the feet, and more. When a body part has reduced blood flow, if it becomes injured it will not heal as easily. This means that cuts, nicks, or scrapes can turn into larger sores or even ulcers fairly easily. 

 

Nerve Damage

Another effect of high blood sugar that causes diabetic foot concerns is nerve death, also called diabetic neuropathy. When blood sugar is high, it starts to destroy the neural pathways in which nerves communicate through the body, and it also starts in the extremities. This means that the feet may become numb, which may not seem serious at first. If a person has no feeling in their feet, they may not know when the feet are injured or in later stages, may not even identify broken or fractured bones. Sores that develop may not heal or may become infected very quickly, or may go unnoticed until it is too late to heal the damaged tissues. Diabetic foot issues at their worst can lead to amputation of the foot and necrotic tissue death. 

 

Care for Diabetic Foot Concerns

The most important thing a person with diabetes can do to help their diabetic foot problems is to control their blood sugar. This can be done through medication, exercise, and through eating a low-carb diet. However, every diabetic person should meet with their doctor and make sure that they are getting the care they need. If diabetic foot problems are already occurring, it is important to keep the feet clean and dry. Wash each foot daily and make sure they are dry afterwards. You can apply talcum or baby powder to absorb excess moisture. Inspect your feet daily for cuts and scrapes, and apply bandages or medications to help heal them. If you have corns or calluses, you may need to have them removed. Make an appointment if you see anything concerning. 

 

Make an Appointment

If you have any diabetic foot concerns, contact us at Orthopaedic Associates of Riverside. We can help you treat existing diabetic foot issues and avoid any further damage. Taking care of your feet is so important to have a good quality of life! We can provide you with care, education, and a treatment plan that will help you get back on track.