Diabetic foot ulcers do not affect everyone with diabetes. Every diabetic, however, is at danger of developing a wound. Diabetes can lead to poor circulation (peripheral arterial disease) and nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), as well as a decreased ability to recover. A simple callus might break down and turn into a diabetic foot ulcer as a result of this.
A wound or ulcer beneath the foot is frequently caused by peripheral neuropathy, a loss of feeling. While neuropathy is more frequent among diabetics, it can also occur in non-diabetics. The wound is not painful because the neuropathy causes the foot to be numb.
There are several ways to avoid developing a diabetic foot ulcer. First and foremost, you must take control of your diabetes: make sure your blood sugar is under control and that you are eating appropriately. Controlling your diabetes with medicine or insulin is insufficient. It is essential to maintain a healthy diet and engage in regular physical activity.
A foot ulcer is a type of wound that can develop for a variety of causes. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) causes a wound to form due to a lack of or restriction in circulation. Peripheral neuropathy, or numbness of the nerves, can cause an ulcer to grow in an area of elevated pressure.
When a wound is detected early enough, treatment such as antibiotics may help the ulcer heal faster. In the vast majority of instances, however, more sophisticated wound care is required. This requires controlling the pressures that contributed to the ulcer’s formation. A cast, fracture boot, or other pressure management system is used to accomplish this. This stage, while sometimes disregarded by some, is crucial to wound healing.
The formation of a callus is caused by areas of high pressure beneath the foot. While a Houston podiatrist can remove a callus, the pressure that caused the callus to form remains. The callus will reappear until the stresses of walking are altered.
