Various Reasons and Prevention of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Dallas, Tx.
Diabetic foot is often quite a dreaded disability, with long stretches of hospitalization, and impossible, mounting expenses, with the ever-dangling end result of an amputated limb. The phantom limb plays its own cruel joke on the already demoralized psyche. The diabetic foot, no wonder, is one of the most feared complications of diabetes.
Diabetic foot Ulcer is characterized by a classical triad of neuropathy, ischemia, and infection.
Preventing the diabetic foot should be the first priority. This can be achieved by identifying the high-risk individuals, like those with peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, foot deformities, and presence of callus.
Reasons for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Slow Healing
When you have diabetes, a number of factors can affect your body’s ability to heal wounds.
High blood sugar levels
Blood sugar is more than just a number on your glucose meter. It plays a part in your energy level, medical needs and also your body’s ability to heal injuries.
High glucose levels can stiffen the blood vessels, making it harder for blood to flow. This means that nutrients and oxygen can’t reach cells, which makes it harder to repair wounds.
Neuropathy
Diabetes and high blood sugar can cause nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. Neuropathy causes tingling and numbness, which makes it harder to feel if you’re injured.
Peripheral neuropathy can also result from having blood sugar levels that are consistently higher than normal.
Neuropathy is particularly common in the hands and feet. When it happens, you may not be able to feel wounds when they occur. This is one major reason why foot wounds tend to be more common in people with diabetes.
Poor circulation
People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop peripheral vascular disease, a condition of poor circulation. Peripheral vascular disease causes your blood vessels to narrow, which reduces blood flow to the limbs.
The condition also affects red blood cells’ ability to pass through the vessels easily. And a higher-than-normal blood glucose level increases the thickness of blood, affecting the body’s blood flow even more.
Immune system deficiency
When you get a cut, your immune system is responsible for keeping germs and other foreign invaders out. If germs do get in the body, the immune system fights them off and stops infections.
When you have diabetes, though, your body produces enzymes and hormones that cause your immune system to be less effective. This can lead to more infections, causing diabetic wounds to take longer to heal and require medical attention.
Prevention for Diabetic Foot Ulcer
The best strategy to avoid diabetic foot ulcers is to prevent wounds in the first place. The CDC reports that almost half of non-traumatic loss of toes, feet or legs can be prevented with daily foot care.
Inspect your feet daily.
The CDC recommends people with diabetes inspect their feet every day for cuts, blisters, calluses, red spots, swelling and other abnormalities. Regularly trim toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails.
If you cannot see or reach your feet, use a mirror or ask for the assistance of a podiatrist, family member or caregiver. In addition to daily examination, have your doctor or podiatrist check your feet at least once per year.
Protect your feet from infection.
Washing your feet each day is an important part of your diabetic foot care routine.
Don’t forget to put on socks and shoes, even if you are just staying in your home, to avoid stepping on something sharp and becoming injured.
Manage your diabetes.
Keeping your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check can prevent most of the complications related to diabetes, including non-healing diabetic foot ulcers.
Work with your primary care physician to develop a diabetes self-management plan that may include healthy diet, regular exercise, blood sugar monitoring, smoking cessation and adherence to medication as directed.
