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Diabetic Foot Ulcer, What Is It And How To Prevent It
What is this foot condition? How do you get it? What can you do about it? Is it serious? These are just some of the questions asked by diabetics and non-diabetics alike. So instead of living in fear, you have decided to find out the answers and be smart, either about your own life or someone else’s life and health.
These ulcers are sores that some diabetics get on their feet; continuously high blood glucose levels generally cause them. The high sugar causes blood vessel damage and busting, which in turn creates the thickening and leaking.
This thickening causes low amounts of blood to get to the skin and plaque builds up in the vessels, causing poor circulation. Poor circulation is an early sign and should be reported to your doctor immediately.
A doctor is the only person who can diagnose and tell you the proper treatment to take care of the problem. Many doctors will check your feet during a normal exam if your diabetes is out of control, or there is cause for concern.
Do not be surprised however if the doctor ask to examine your feet without any prior concerns. Your doctor will prescribe medication and have you to come back for a checkup to check your progress or if the ulcers worsen.
What can be done about them? Your doctor will determine the severity of your ulcer and go with a few different options. The Doctor will first address your high blood sugar, and then order for you to keep your ulcer very clean.
They might even suggest an antibiotic ointment, and gauze wrappings. If the ulcers are bad enough, you may be put on complete bed rest instead of being ordered to simply keep your feet up. You need to use only saline solutions or a mild soap and clean water to clean the ulcers with.
If you do not take care of the diabetic foot ulcer, the doctor will try an internal antibiotic or even amputating the foot. You need to treat the ulcer aggressively and seriously or you can end up paying more than you ever planned on.
What can you do for prevention
Well, first of all, follow the diabetic plan you and your doctor decided on, this includes eating only food that the doctor said is safe for you. You can also make sure you get regular exercise and take proper care of your feet.
There are some things to remember such as keeping your nails trimmed, look for any sores or cracks on your feet, wear the right shoes and make sure they fit.
If you are concerned in any at all about anything to do with your feet, or body for that matter, make sure you tell your doctor immediately.
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