One of the primary reasons why you should treat diabetes at the earliest is because poorly controlled diabetes can lead to foot ulcers. Your foot tissue can break down eventually and expose the layer below. Neglecting a foot ulcer is a strict no-no as it can affect the bones in your feet. Infection is a serious complication of a foot ulcer and requires immediate treatment. There are even chances for infected ulcers to lead to amputation if you neglect them.
Know The Common Symptoms
If you ever notice liquid draining from your feet and staining your socks, there are high chances that you have a foot ulcer. Few other early symptoms are irritation, redness, unusual swelling and odour from feet. Black tissue surrounding the ulcer is a common sign indicating a severe foot ulcer. It generally occurs due to partial or complete gangrene when the skin tissues around the ulcer die due to infection. If the condition is accompanied by pain, numbness or odorous discharge, get in touch with a foot surgeon without any delay.
What Causes Foot Ulcer?
Poor Blood Circulation is a vascular disease which prevents blood from flowing efficiently to your feet. It becomes difficult for ulcers to heal if there is poor blood circulation. Diabetic patients have high glucose levels which can also slow down the healing process so it is important to manage your blood sugar level. Nerve damage caused due to low blood circulation has a long-term effect and you might have a loss of feeling in your feet. Damaged nerves are both painful and tingly. Dry skin can also make your feet prone to cracking.
How To Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcer?
Though there is a higher chance for diabetic patients to develop foot ulcers, you can prevent it with proper foot care. Never try to get rid of diabetic foot ulcers or foot pain yourself as the treatment is dependent on its cause. A better alternative is to get in touch with a reputed chiropodist to discuss the discomfort or foot pain you are experiencing. He will assess the condition of your foot and customise a suitable treatment. One of the primary reasons why you should never neglect foot pain is because the signs of foot ulcers are not obvious all the time. The ulcer can become infected before it starts showing any symptom. Your doctor might order an X-ray to look for signs of bone infection.
