Type two diabetes is becoming so prevalent, it is almost as though we have become complacent about this. The epidemic is rising in most places despite public health interventions are working to decrease the obesity epidemic that is supporting the diabetes problem. Diabetes has a number of problems that all join collectively to put the diabetic foot at significant risk from complications. These complications range from a minor infection to the more severe complications like a need to amputate a leg because of a spreading infection or deceased tissue. The complications associated with diabetes impact a wide variety of tissues in the body.
In terms of diabetic foot , has an effect on the blood supply which means that any damage to the foot is more likely to be serious because there is inadequate good blood flow to allow healing to occur. Diabetes also damages the nerves, so that if there is some trauma, either major or minor such as a blister, then no pain is sensed, so the area continues to be traumatized resulting in the problem considerably more serious. The body has many functions to battle infection, however in diabetes the reaction to an infection is much slower compared to those not having diabetes. Diabetes also affects the eye and although the eyes are quite a distance from the foot, appropriate eyesight is needed to see any issues that might have happened to the feet so it can be dealt with. Even the renal disease that frequently occurs in diabetes impacts wound healing when the damage has been done and the presence of disease in the kidney can impact which drugs, for example antibiotics, can be used and sometimes that range can be quite limited.
It is for all these reasons, and many more not mentioned, that those with diabetes have to take additional care of their feet. They need to check out them frequently to make certain that there is no injury and if there is an injury they need to get medical attention quickly. Most importantly, they should be regularly managed by a podiatrist.