|
|
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects the lives
of about 16 million people in the United States, 25% will
develop foot problems related to the disease. The
disease is marked by the inability to manufacture or properly
use insulin and impairs the body's ability to convert sugars,
starches, and other foods into energy. The long term
effects of elevated blood sugars (hyperglycemia) can cause to
damage the eyes, heart, feet, kidneys, nerves, and blood
vessels.
A diabetic ulcer is caused by stress of the
body's weight and the impact of the foot striking the ground.
The ball of the foot, big toe, and the heel are at greatest
risk. Force or friction against the bottom of your feet
causes the skin to thicken, forming a callus. If the
skin keeps thickening, the callus presses up into the foot and
kills healthy tissue causing pain. You may not notice
the pain if you have diabetic neuropathy, a nerve disorder
that limits your ability to detect pain. As healthy skin
dies, an ulcer forms that may become infected. Also,
peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation) contributes to
diabetic ulcers by reducing the amount of oxygen and nutrition
supplied to the skin and other tissues, causing ulcers
to heal poorly.
As a podiatrist and a wound care specialist
the treatment of the diabetic ulcer can involve topical wound
care products, bioengineer living skin, diabetic shoes and
inserts, contact casting, antibiotics, and surgery if need be.
This should be a team approach working with your physician and
other specialists. For more information: American
Academy of Wound Management
|
|
|
|
Click
to view our latest video |
|
