Diabetic Foot
Diabetes is one of the most common diseases almost in every country globally. Your risk for wounds on your feet leading to amputation increases the longer you have diabetes. Diabetic foot is a common complication of diabetes.
Diabetic foot is a general term that includes ulcers, chronic wounds, and gangrene. It is a multifactorial problem; for instance, nerve damage plays a part in it, but the most critical and devastating complications are due to vascular malperfusion. Diabetes affects the small and large arteries cause stenosis and occlusions; as a result, any small wound won’t have the ability to heal without a good blood supply.
Diabetic foot is related to controlling blood sugar and the duration for which the patient had uncontrolled diabetes. So for that, it is considered a long-term complication of diabetes.
Small and minor wounds in the foot can progress very fast to infected ulcers in diabetic patients; as a result of that inspecting the feet daily and seeking immediate medical care in case of any small wound is of utmost importance to prevent the progression.
Management of Diabetic Foot:
Treatment is started with local wound care and antibiotics for simple cases with close follow-up to prevent the worsening of the wound.
If the wound is not healing as anticipated or not progressing, you need to consult your doctor promptly. Warning signs include foul-smelling pus, pain, and dark skin discoloration; immediate consultation with a specialist is a must.
Blood vessel imaging will be recommended by your doctor if there is a suspicion of poor circulation to your foot. For instance, A CT scan will show the whole arterial tree and will help plan an intervention.
If your blood vessels are narrowing or obstructing, your doctor might recommend an intervention to improve them. Open vascular surgical procedures or endovascular procedures depend on the disease extent and anatomy and the type of microorganism in the infected foot.
Proper diabetic foot care:
1. Skin and nail care
2. Daily foot inspection for wounds or cracks
3. Wash and dry your feet daily
4. Wear proper footwear
5. Don’t remove calluses or other foot lesions yourself
6. Trim your toenails carefully
7. Schedule regular foot checkups
