Diabetic Foot
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar , levels are too high. Glucose comes from foods you eat. The cells of your body need glucose for energy. A hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into your cells. With type 1 diabetes , your body doesn't make insulin. With type 2 diabetes , your body doesn't make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, glucose can't get into your cells as quickly as usual. The glucose builds up in your blood and causes high blood sugar levels. How does diabetes cause foot problems? Foot problems are common in people with diabetes. They can happen over time when high blood sugar damages the nerves and blood vessels in the feet. The nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy , can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of feeling in your feet. If you can't feel pain, you may not know when you have a cut, blister , or ulcer (open sore) on your foot. A wound like that could get infected. The infection may not heal well because the damaged blood vessels can cause poor blood flow in your feet. Having an infection and poor blood flow can lead to gangrene . That means the muscle, skin, and other tissues start to die. If you have gangrene or a foot ulcer that does not get better with treatment, you may need an amputation . This is a surgery to cut off your damaged toe, foot, or part of your leg. It may prevent a bad infection from spreading and could save your life. But there's a lot you can do to prevent a foot wound from becoming a major health problem. How can I protect my feet if I have diabetes? The best way to protect your feet is by controlling your blood sugar levels every day. This will help keep nerve and blood vessel damage from getting worse. The next step is to keep the skin of your feet healthy. Good foot care for people with diabetes includes: Checking your feet every day. Look for cuts, redness, and other changes in the skin and toenails, including warts or other spots that your sh