Podiatry Experts

All forms of diabetes is becoming so common, it is almost as though society has become complacent about this. The prevalence is rising in most places despite public health interventions are trying to decrease the obesity epidemic that is supporting the diabetes issue. Diabetes has a number of complications that all combine together to put the foot at considerable risk from complications. These complications vary from a mild infection to the more critical complications like a need to amputate a limb due to a spreading infection or dead tissue. The complications associated with diabetes impact a wide variety of tissues in the body.

With regards to the foot, diabetes impacts the blood supply meaning that any damage to the foot is more likely to be serious because there is inadequate good blood flow allowing healing to take place. Diabetes also damages the nerves, so that if there is some damage, either major or minor like a skin cut, then no pain is sensed, so the area continues to be traumatised making the problem a great deal more severe. The body has lots of functions to fight infection, however in diabetes the reaction to an infection is much more sluggish than in those not having diabetes. Diabetes may also affect the eye and while they are a long way from the feet, enough eyesight is needed to see any issues that may have happened to the feet so it may be acted upon. Even the renal disease that frequently occurs in diabetes affects wound healing after the injury has been done and the presence of disease in the renal system can impact which drugs, such as antibiotics, may be used and sometimes that range can be very restricted.

It is for all these reasons, and others not brought up, that those with diabetes have to take additional care of their feet. They must check out them on a regular basis to make sure that there is no damage and if there is damage they must get medical attention quickly. Above all, they must be regularly managed by a foot doctor.