Diabetes can cause a lot of complications with many aspects of your health and wellness, including vision problems and kidney dysfunction. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that diabetes can also cause serious problems with your feet.
In fact, many people with diabetes develop serious foot infections — deep sores known as diabetic foot ulcers. Without prompt and appropriate medical care, these ulcers can spread, significantly increasing the risk of lower limb amputation.
At Vayu Advanced Wound Clinic and Hyperbarics in San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Badam offers comprehensive care for patients with diabetes, providing therapies that both treat and prevent foot wounds and other complications associated with diabetes.
Here, Dr. Badam explains how diabetes affects your feet and how three simple foot problems can wind up causing serious problems without prompt care.
Diabetes and your feet
Diabetes causes dangerous elevations in blood sugar (glucose) levels — elevations that can damage both your blood vessels and your nerves. These side effects interfere with healing and increase the risk of serious foot infections and even lower limb amputations.
Diabetic nerve damage makes it harder for you to notice wounds in their early stages, when pain and other symptoms are relatively minor. That means treatment can be delayed, allowing infections to spread.
At the same time, blood vessel damage impairs circulation in your limbs, interfering with normal healing responses.
Delayed and decreased healing means it’s much harder for your body’s immune system to fight off invading germs, another factor leading to serious infections, particularly in your feet, ankles, and lower legs.
Diabetes can lead to serious foot complications due to poor circulation and nerve damage, increasing the risk of infections and ulcers. Proper foot care, including daily inspection, moisturization, and wearing comfortable footwear, is essential. Vayuhyperbarics therapy can help improve oxygen flow, promote healing, and reduce inflammation, making it a beneficial option for diabetic foot care. Regular check-ups with a healthcare provider can also prevent severe complications.
Simple foot problems to watch out for
The delay in treatment and impaired healing responses combine to cause serious problems for many people with diabetes. As a result, you could face serious infections and other complications with even minor foot issues, like the three listed here.
Blisters
As you probably know, a blister is a fluid-filled sac that forms as a result of repeated friction or pressure. Blisters are especially common on the feet, thanks to pressure and friction from shoes.
Typically, blisters go away on their own. But if you have diabetes, even a small blister can lead to serious problems.
Once the blister pops, you can develop a sore that doesn’t heal properly, leading to a deep infection that can pose serious risks to your feet and the rest of your body. Seeking care early prevents complications by promoting normal healing responses.
Ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenails are another relatively common problem usually associated with shoes that are too tight or confining. Ingrown nails are also more common among people whose nails are very curved and among those who trim their toenails into a curved shape.
An ingrown nail can be very painful, but if you have diabetic food ulcer, nerve damage can mean you don’t notice the nail until an infection is well underway. Even if you spot an ingrown nail early, a compromised immune system means serious infections are far more likely.
Athlete’s foot
A common fungal infection, athlete’s foot happens when your skin comes in contact with the fungal bodies that cause the infection. These fungi enter your skin through tiny cuts or cracks in your skin, then rapidly multiply.
Athlete’s foot can cause uncomfortable symptoms, but fortunately you can treat it rather easily — unless you have diabetes. In that case, your impaired immune response can make it difficult to treat and eradicate the infection, increasing your risk of more serious infections.
Diabetic foot care: Essential for your health
If you have diabetes, take any type of foot issue seriously. Dr. Badam offers an array of therapies for diabetic wounds, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, wound debridement, total contact casting, and negative pressure wound therapy, each of which can help you heal faster and avoid complications.
To learn more about diabetic foot care or to have your foot symptoms evaluated, call 210-651-1112 or book an appointment online with our team at Vayu Advanced Wound Clinic and Hyperbarics today.
FAQs
1. The type 2 diabetes feet are?
Type 2 diabetes can cause poor circulation and nerve damage (neuropathy) in the feet, leading to numbness, slow healing wounds, and a higher risk of infections. Proper foot care includes daily inspection, moisturizing, wearing comfortable shoes, and managing blood sugar levels. Seeking medical attention for any cuts, sores, or changes in sensation is crucial to prevent complications like ulcers or amputations.
2. which is diabetic foot treatment?
Treatment for diabetic foot issues focuses on wound care, infection control, and improving circulation. It includes:
- Blood Sugar Control – Keeping glucose levels stable to promote healing.
- Wound Care – Cleaning, dressing, and monitoring ulcers or cuts.
- Infection Management – Antibiotics for infections and debridement for dead tissue removal.
- Pressure Relief – Special footwear or orthotics to reduce strain on affected areas.
- Improved Circulation – Therapies like vayuhyperbarics (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) to enhance healing.
- Surgical Intervention – In severe cases, procedures to remove infected tissue or restore blood flow.