Diabetic patients are prone to complications due to blood sugar control. According to statistics, the risk of lower limb amputation for diabetic foot patients is 15-40 times that of non-diabetic patients. About 15% of diabetic patients will develop foot ulcers in their lifetime, and most of them will suffer from foot ulcers. Most foot ulcers that occur eventually lead to approximately 85% of amputations. If in the early stage of diabetes, the skin of the feet appears itchy, sensitive to cold, white or purple, tingling, numbness, dullness or loss of sensation in the extremities, and it feels like stepping on cotton when walking, then you must have diabetic foot. This is The early manifestations of diabetic foot must be treated promptly.

What is diabetic foot?

Diabetic foot refers to foot infection, foot ulcer and/or deep tissue destruction caused by diabetic patients complicated by lower limb neuropathy and varying degrees of peripheral vascular disease.

The occurrence of diabetic foot is mainly related to diabetic lower limb vasculopathy, peripheral neuropathy, foot infection and injury.

Fortunately, 49%-85% of amputations are preventable, so early prevention of diabetic foot is of great significance.

Diabetics with long disease duration and poor blood sugar control are prone to foot problems

If a diabetic patient has a disease duration of more than 10 years and cannot control blood sugar for a long time, or is combined with high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia and obesity. For middle-aged and elderly people, once they feel numbness and tingling in their lower limbs, a feeling of cotton on the soles of their feet, cold feet, dark skin, pigmentation, intermittent pain in walking in their lower limbs, and pain at night, they should think about whether they are Suffering from diabetic foot.

Ms. Wang, a 56-year-old diabetic patient, first discovered a "mung bean"-sized blister on the fourth toe of her left foot. There was no redness, swelling, pain, or numbness. About three or four days later, the blister burst and turned into an ulcer. During this period, Ms. Wang visited a local clinic and gave the patient antibiotic injections. The wound was partially cleaned, bandaged and fixed. Change the dressing on time after returning home. A few days later, the wound gradually expanded with pain, and the local skin turned purple and dark. In order to control the development of the disease in time, the family took him to a specialized hospital for treatment.

Diabetes experts point out: If a diabetic patient encounters a similar situation, be careful not to delay treatment. The foot ulcer wounds of diabetic foot patients are different from those of non-diabetic patients. Don't take it so simply. As long as there are abnormalities in the feet of people with diabetes, they will definitely develop into diabetic foot disease. Therefore, they must go to a specialist hospital in time to avoid aggravating the condition.

The treatment of diabetic foot disease is extremely professional. Patients must go to a professional diabetes hospital for comprehensive treatment based on the cause of the disease.

In the early stage of diabetic foot, the skin of the feet will be itchy, sensitive to cold, white or purple, and the extremities will be tingling, numb, and have dull or loss of sensation. When walking, it will feel like stepping on cotton. In the mid-term, lower limb pain occurs when walking, and you must take a break before continuing to walk. Later, I also had pain in my lower limbs when I was resting, and the pain even kept me awake all night. In the final stage, the skin of the foot will become ulcerated and necrotic, and the wound will not heal for a long time. The necrosis can be as deep as the tendons, ligaments and bones. At this time, amputation may be required. Diabetic patients must strictly control their diet, wash their feet with warm water every day, and carefully trim their nails and smooth the edges. If you can't do it yourself because your nails are too thick or you can't see clearly, you can ask a podiatrist or a family member who knows the skills to trim them.

Prevention of diabetic foot should start from every aspect of daily life

1. Diabetic patients should wear suitable shoes and socks

For diabetic patients, if they wear inappropriate shoes , which can easily lead to pressure on the feet, causing skin damage. Wear soft, flat-soled shoes and light-colored cotton socks to avoid foot ulcers and bleeding.

2. People with diabetes should wash their feet every day to keep their feet clean.

The water for people with diabetes should have a body temperature of about 37 degrees Celsius.

It usually takes about ten minutes. It is best to ask family members who do not suffer from diabetes to test the water with the back of their hands without scalding the feet, because the nerves of diabetics are damaged and are not sensitive to temperature. When the skin of the feet appears damaged, bullae, burns, etc. In this case, it is taboo to wash your feet.

3. People with diabetes should be careful when cutting their nails, and they should not be too short.

People with diabetes should make sure that their toenails are round and smooth when trimming, and do not leave any sharp edges. Pay attention to calluses, corns and other problems on the feet. Do not cut the calluses and corns directly, and do not casually use popular corn water, corn ointment and other folk remedies for corns on the market. To avoid infection, it is recommended to go to a regular hospital. for processing.

4. In winter, diabetic patients should pay attention to keeping their feet warm

In winter, some diabetics like to use hot water bottles, baking lamps, electric blankets, etc. to keep their feet cold. No, because people with diabetes are not sensitive to temperature and are prone to burns, so try not to use this type of heating equipment. If you do, it is best to use thick cotton socks or special foot protection suits to keep your feet warm.

5. People with diabetes should control the three highs

Complications of diabetes occur because blood sugar is not well controlled. Of course, some people have difficulty controlling blood sugar, which may be due to high blood lipids and high blood pressure. , so it affects the control of blood sugar. People with diabetes must control all three highs, including blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar!