EXPLAINING DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS
Diabetic foot ulcers are sores anywhere below the ankle or on the foot that a person with diabetes may develop. If you have diabetes and an open sore on your foot that won’t heal, then you may have a non-healing diabetic foot ulcer. If you have this, please consult your doctor ASAP to discuss treatment options. These foot ulcers are common about 1 in 4 people with diabetes will develop them. Diabetic foot ulcers are the leading cause of amputation due to diabetes. However, amputation is easily avoidable by having foot ulcers checked out by a podiatrist.
Diabetic foot ulcers generally begin with an injury to the foot, like stepping on a tack, dry skin cracks or a blister. Normally, these injuries heal on their own. However, for someone with diabetes, these injuries might not heal.
Patients might have an increased likelihood of developing an ulcer if they have certain conditions. One condition is diabetic neuropathy, where the disease causes damage to nerves in the feet. This damage can alter your foot sensation, resulting in anything from increased sensitivity and pain to tingling and complete loss of sensation. Another disease is peripheral artery disease (PAD), where the arteries get blocked in the legs. Blood vessels cannot deliver oxygen and nutrients to heal the ulcer. Some symptoms are a pain in the legs due to activity, pain in the legs even while at rest, tired legs, decreased hair growth and toenail growth and toes that are pale or blue in color. About 45% of foot ulcers occur in people who have both diabetic neuropathy and PAD. If you experience any of these symptoms, take the PAD risk assessment and discuss the results with your doctor.
A few other factors include being male, older than 60 years old, abnormal shape of your foot, chronic kidney disease and vision problems.
In most circumstances, foot ulcers are not life-threatening but they could become life-threatening if they are left untreated. Any ulcer that is present for more than a month has more of a chance to become infected. This infection can cause sepsis, which is life-threatening. If you have PAD, the tissue could die and this gangrene tissue can become infected and lead to death. Lastly, if you had an amputation, you have a higher risk of mortality than a non-amputee.
If you develop a diabetic foot ulcer, do not wait to have it treated. Ulcers heal better when a team of talented doctors treats them. There are effective treatments for ulcers. The earlier you seek treatment, the better the chance your ulcer will heal and you will avoid amputation.
An alternative to amputation is limb salvage. Limb salvage is the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers before amputation is the only option. Limb salvage will always be the top priority for patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers. In order for limb salvage to be successful, early intervention is essential. If a patient ignores symptoms and the infection spreads, the chances of limb salvage reduce drastically. From my limb salvage work, at Good Samaritan in Suffern NY, I'm happy to report a very high success rate for patients avoiding amputation, and also overseeing an ongoing treatment plan to maintain their health.
If your diabetes is affecting your feet there could be serious life-altering complications. If you notice tingling or any of the changes listed above please give my office a call today to make an appointment. Early intervention is key to preventing serious damage to your feet.
River Podiatry, with locations in Pearl River NY, and Midland Park NJ, provides comprehensive, treatment of patients with podiatric issues. The practice specializes in foot surgery and the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Expect the best possible care utilizing the most modern techniques. Make an appointment today with Rockland County and Bergen County podiatrist Dr. Han!
