Type 2 Diabetes - Basic Facts About Foot Ulcers

Seventy percent of people who have leg problems have type 2 diabetes. In the past you could do pretty much whatever you wanted on or to your feet, any damage seemed to disappear quickly. When you have been diagnosed as being diabetic, you can no longer take your feet for granted.

Foot ulcers are not uncommon due to peripheral neuropathy. This causes loss of sensation in your feet due to damage to the nerve endings responsible for:

PRESSURE ULCER

light touch pain and other sensations

Foot problems when you have diabetes also results from poor blood supply to your feet. This is known as peripheral vascular disease. Approximately forty-five per cent of people with foot ulcers have problems with the arteries in their legs. This is one reason why the blood supply to your feet should be assessed at an annual physical check up.

A foot ulcer looks like an open wound that does not heal ... it is really important to pay attention to them because they can lead to a foot or leg amputation. The risk of amputation is fifteen to forty-six times higher in diabetics than in non-diabetics. Early detection and appropriate treatment of foot ulcers may prevent up to 85% of amputations!

According to health care providers, the least expensive and most effective measure for preventing foot complications is careful inspection of your feet on a regular basis.

Feet complications such as ulcers occur due to vascular changes and is related to a group of risk factors:

insulin resistance high blood pressure high cholesterol levels and to a lesser extent, blood sugar

Smoking forms a deadly duo with type 1 or type 2 diabetes ... it accelerates the risk of a number of complications. Hardening of your leg arteries prevents the blood, which contains nutrients and oxygen, from reaching the tissues of your foot. Without these nutrients, any wounds will not heal easily.

Signs that your leg and/or foot are not receiving sufficient oxygen include:

pain in the arch or forefoot when at rest, or during the night thin and or shiny skin lack of hair on the lower leg and foot redness of an area of the foot when dangling your leg from a chair lack of color in your foot when your foot is elevated thickened nails

If your health care provider tells you your feet are at risk, the best idea is to be under the care of a podiatrist who can advise you on the care of your nails, general foot hygiene and help you with advise on suitable footwear. Unfortunately, foot problems related to diabetes contribute to the difficulties of many older people with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes - Basic Facts About Foot Ulcers

PRESSURE ULCER