Diabetes: What Can You Do To Treat Foot Ulcers

Diabetes is a disease that can have serious complications. It can affect the heart, eyesight, and it can even affect the kidney. However, one of the most common complications that diabetes can give its sufferers is the development of foot ulcers. Known as a diabetic foot ulcer this condition can lead to amputation if neglected.

Basically, a foot ulcer is a wound or open sore that appears on the feet. A big percentage of diabetic sufferers is affected by this and it is important that everyone should be aware of this in order to prevent it or at least know how to treat it.

Foot ulcers appear commonly on the soles of the feet. However, it can also appear on any part of the foot. This is a very serious problem for diabetics as many patients who had foot ulcers ended up requiring amputation of the affected limb. This is why diabetes is the leading causes of non traumatic limb amputation.

Although any diabetic patient can develop foot ulcer, there are several factors that can increase the risk of developing it.

Poor blood glucose control is one factor that can increase the risk of developing foot ulcer. You have to remember that proper diabetes management requires you to constantly regulate your blood sugar level. If you fail to do so and that your blood glucose level fluctuates, then you will end up experiencing unpleasant signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, which include foot ulcers.

Sensory neuropathy is another factor that can increase the risk of foot ulcers in diabetics. This is when the patient loses the feeling in the feet. This is due to nerve damage due to high blood sugar levels.

Long duration of diabetes can also be the cause of foot ulcers. This means that in the long run, you will likely experience getting foot ulcers.

Poor circulation of blood can also lead to foot ulcers as well as foot deformity, poor foot healthcare, and inappropriate footwear.

There are many causes of foot ulcers to develop. A classic example would be a diabetic with sensory neuropathy going for a long walk on new or ill fitting shoes. These shoes can be hard on the feet, which can cause chaffing. Because of the sensory neuropathy, the patient will not feel the chaffing, which then causes blisters to form, which the patient will not be aware of.

Because of reduced circulation, the blister will not heal and will eventually turn in to an ulcer. Because of high blood sugar levels in the body, the ulcer is unable to heal. Combine this with continual pressure on the area, and then you have a perfect case for foot ulcer.

To treat the foot ulcer, the main goal is to get the ulcer to heal as soon as possible. The faster the ulcer heals, the less chance there is that it will get infected. During treatment, preventing infection should be your goal. You can do this by regularly disinfecting the affected area. You should also remove dead skin of the wound surrounding the area as well as relieve pressure by applying pressure relieve padding on shoes.

These are the things that you need to remember about foot ulcer. Foot ulcers are preventable. The key to this is to constantly monitor your blood sugar levels as well as being aware of what's going on with your body.