Everything You Should Know About Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Living with diabetes is not easy. Anyone with diabetes would agree that it comes with a unique set of challenges. You have to keep track of your blood glucose levels all day long, and if you don’t take proper care of your health, various complications can arise. However, to ensure adequate care, you need to know about the risks of diabetes. The formation of diabetic foot ulcers is one of the many dangers of diabetes. Here is everything you want to know about diabetic foot ulcers:
What are diabetic foot ulcers?
Diabetic foot ulcers are wounds or sores that commonly occur in people with diabetes. They can begin in a monotonous way due to wearing a new pair of shoes or taking an extra-long walk. The main problem arises when you don’t feel anything on your feet. A minor sore may even turn into a severe wound if you keep walking. Around 10 percent of people with diabetes end up with a foot ulcer. Diabetic ulcers can be dangerous and sometimes lead to amputation. For that reason, it is crucial to take the proper measures to prevent them.
How to prevent diabetic foot ulcers?
One of the best ways to prevent diabetic foot ulcers is to keep your blood sugar levels under control. An imbalance in the blood sugar level is behind neuropathy, so you may lose feeling anything in your feet and may also not notice soreness. Keeping the blood sugar levels under control may also help heal the sores and keep ulcers from developing.
The next thing to do is keep checking your feet now and then for any wounds or ulcers.
How to treat diabetic foot ulcers?
The most common way of treating diabetic foot ulcers is debridement, promoting the body’s natural healing mechanism. After this process, the doctor will apply a dressing which you will have to change regularly. You will also have to offload the affected part of the foot along with this. Depending on the ulcer’s location, you can buy a forefoot offloading shoe or heel offloading shoe. The offloading shoes will help keep the weight off the injured area and give the wound space for healing. If it doesn’t heal in a month or you get a bone infection, get in touch with your doctor.
The foot tissue is highly different from that of other parts of the body. As a result, the infection can quickly get into your muscles and bone, leading to more complications. For that reason, keep your blood sugar levels under control to avoid any ulcers or wounds. If you are looking for a forefoot offloading shoe or heel offloading shoe, browse through websites that are selling medical equipment. Make sure to consult your doctor before trying anything for diabetic foot ulcers.
