Diabetic foot ulcers are breaks in the skin that can be potentially serious for those with diabetes as it is a portal for infection and can go unhealed for many months if not taken care of promptly.
Diabetic foot ulcers start when there is too much pressure on a vulnerable foot. As a result, the skin starts to break down (‘dissolve’).
This too much pressure can come from a corn or callus, a foot deformity, poorly fitting shoes, a sudden increase in activity levels, a loose object in the shoe.
The vulnerable foot in diabetes is due to the fragility of the tissues, a wound such as a blister occurs, the poor circulation and the nerve damage that means that any damage is not necessarily detected. Those whose diabetes is not well controlled are very susceptible to infections.
The prevention of diabetic foot ulcers is taking steps to reduce the risk of the too much pressure and improve the vulnerability of the foot. If you have diabetes you really should have a podiatrist that you can see about these issues. There are methods can can be done to reduce the pressure and there are methods to make the foot less vulnerable.
If a diabetic foot ulcer does develop, then it needs to be treated with some urgency to prevent it becoming a serious problem.
