Uncontrolled blood sugar levels usually expose diabetics to several long-term complications, the most common of which is diabetic foot. What are the forms of diabetic foot? Can this disease be prevented? This is what we discuss in detail in the following paragraphs.

Why do some diabetics develop diabetic foot and not others?

Wounds, ulcers, and foot deformities are what diabetics fear most in the long term, although Swollen diabetic foot is one of the common complications of this disease. We find that it appears in some patients to a greater extent than in others. This is due to the presence of many risk factors in the lives of these patients, perhaps the most important of which are:

• Uncontrolled blood sugar levels for long periods.
• Hypertension.
• High level of harmful cholesterol in the blood.
• More obesity.
• Problems with blood vessels or peripheral nerves.

For this reason, diabetic foot disease in patients takes several forms, depending on the stages of development of the disease.

Types of diabetic foot

The most common forms of diabetic foot among patients are:

• Neurogenic diabetic foot ulcers

High levels of blood sugar in the long term cause peripheral nerves to become weak and unable to perform their function efficiently, and thus the diabetic patient feels tingling and numbness in his extremities, especially the feet.

While the patient goes about his daily life, he may not feel the wounds that affect his foot and do not bandage them well, so they turn into ulcers and take a long time to treat and heal. These ulcers usually appear in places of pressure in the foot, especially the heels and behind the toes.

Read also: Treatment of foot numbness for diabetics

• Inflammatory foot ulcers

Inflammatory ulcers usually result from exposure of neurogenic diabetic foot ulcers to bacterial infection, and the patient does not receive appropriate treatment. This infection may spread to the main circulation, causing several risks to the patient’s life.

• Occlusive diabetic foot ulcers

This type of diabetic foot occurs due to the patient suffering from atherosclerosis of the arteries in the foot, as this causes poor blood circulation to the foot, which results in a delay in the healing of any wounds that affect it, turning them into ulcers, and increasing the risk of infection.

• Charcot’s foot

Charcot’s foot is classified as Common forms of diabetic foot, which causes the patient to lose weight. Feeling his foot; As a result of diabetic neuropathy, foot ulcers often become infected and lead to the erosion of the foot joints and the degeneration of the surrounding tissue, causing the foot to become deformed and the patient’s ability to walk to be affected.

Based on the above, we find that The stages of diabetic foot are many and require consultation < a href=”https://vascularartclinic.com/%d8%a3%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%af%d9%83%d8%aa%d9%88%d8%b1- %d8%b3%d9%83%d8%b1-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1/”>Vascular Doctor is an expert and experienced in treating all cases Diabetic foot.

Is there a treatment for diabetic foot without amputation?

Yes, there are treatments for diabetic foot other than amputation, but they differ according to the severity of the condition. In general, doctors initially seek to treat diabetic foot problems without surgical interventions, through:

• Keeping foot wounds and ulcers clean.
• Taking antibiotics.
• Removal of damaged tissue.
• Apply topical dressings and creams to absorb excess fluids, protect the wound, and help it heal.
• Use crutches to reduce the load on the affected foot, and wear shoes designed for diabetic foot patients.

If the previous treatments are not sufficient to treat diabetic foot problems, doctors are forced to perform surgical interventions, including:

• Dilating and patching blocked blood vessels in the legs to help blood flow with stents.
• Charcot’s foot is surgically stabilized.
• Amputation of the affected part, which may include one toe or an entire leg.

Does a diabetic foot patient ever recover?

It is unfortunate to say that there is no definitive cure for diabetic foot, but some precautionary steps can be taken to avoid its serious complications, the most important of which is visiting a doctor periodically for early detection and treatment of problems that affect the feet as a result of diabetes.

In addition, diabetics must adhere to some instructions to reduce their chances of developing diabetic foot, the most important of which are:

• Maintain a controlled blood sugar level.
• Periodic follow-up with a specialist doctor.
• Cut the nails carefully.
• Pay attention to foot cleanliness and drying daily.
• Wear appropriate shoes to avoid injuries and avoid walking barefoot.
• Avoid smoking and exposing your feet to extremely hot or cold temperatures.
• Attention to reaching a healthy body weight.
• Maintain physical activity 30 minutes a day. 

Get the best medical care for your diabetic foot now at Vascular Art Center

Vascualr art center is one of the centers specialized in treating all vascular diseases, chronic diseases and their complications, based on the best diagnostic devices and the latest treatment methods. The organizers of this center have allocated a specialized unit for the treatment of diabetic foot, headed by the most famous and best vascular and diabetic foot consultant in Egypt. They rely on providing the best health care for diabetic foot patients by:

• Use the latest wound cleaning devices and dressings based on active oxygen or ozone.
• The possibility of expanding the arteries of the foot using stents and balloon catheters.
• Using Foot Scan devices to design shoes suitable for diabetic foot patients.

For more information about the health services provided to treat the different forms of diabetic foot at the Diabetic Foot Clinic at the Vascular Art Center, you can contact us through the numbers shown on our website.

Vascular Art – Dr. Mahmoud Salah