What is the relationship between diabetic feet and foot problems?

What is the relationship between diabetic feet and foot problems?

Understand better how diabetic feet can affect your health and your daily life.

 

Diabetic feet are a problem for a large number of Brazilians. Get to know this condition better and know what to do.

Diabetic foot is the term used in the medical world to refer to complications in the circulatory and nervous system of the feet, resulting from poorly controlled diabetes.

If you want to know more about what this condition is, how the diagnosis is made and how to prevent problems with diabetic feet, we recommend reading our first article on the subject: Diabetic feet: understand what they are and how the diagnosis is made .

Next, we'll delve into the problems this condition can cause for patients, and what treatments are available! Keep reading to learn:

 

Diabetic Foot: Understand the Condition Better

 

Diabetes is, unfortunately, a chronic and extremely common condition. A recent survey showed that between 2006 and 2016, the number of diabetics in Brazil increased by 61.8%. The disease already affects about 8.9% of the population.

Among women, the rate is 9.9% and, among men, 7.8%. The data are from the Surveillance of Risk Factors and Protection for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey (Vigitel) of the Ministry of Health.

As an aggravating factor, diabetes has a large list of consequences and comorbidities that accompany it. Diabetic foot is one of those consequences.

Diabetic patients commonly face problems such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy (death of nerve cells), and peripheral vascular disease (decreased circulation in the legs and feet).

These conditions can aggravate injuries, since the lack of sensitivity caused by neuropathy prevents the patient from noticing that the foot is injured and poor circulation hinders healing and the action of antibodies, favoring infections.

In most cases, people are unaware of the complications of diabetes in relation to the feet and nails, or have never been instructed on the subject.

 

Diabetic feet, without treatment and monitoring, can have serious consequences

 

More than 10 years ago, Alan R. Rubin, an endocrinologist, published the book Diabetes Para Laity. In the work, he indicates that there are more than 70,000 (seventy thousand) amputations per year in the United States. And of these amputations, more than 50% are in patients with diabetic feet.

In Brazil, the situation can be even more serious. Due to socioeconomic difficulties and cultural issues, we still have very low patient adherence in programs aimed at detecting foot problems in diabetics, working on awareness, prevention and monitoring.

In addition, our country does not have public health policies that invest in this prevention either. In other words, we will hardly find multidisciplinary teams of Prevention and Attention to the Diabetic Foot in Basic Health Units.

 

Relationship between Normal Foot and Diabetic Foot

 

It is necessary, before talking more about this, to point out that there are differences between diabetic feet and the feet of a person with diabetes.

That's right! It is possible to find normal feet and nails in diabetic individuals, as well as identify diabetic feet in people without other symptoms.

We can consider a foot as healthy when thecirculatory condition is within normal standards, and the nerve endings as well. That is, the patient has normal sensitivity in all areas of the feet, and does not show signs of impaired circulation.

Also, in unaffected patients, the pedal pulses are intact. This means that it is possible to palpate some arteries in the back and back of the ankle, and feel the heartbeat there. This demonstrates that circulation is preserved.

The nails should also present normal aspects, such as thin thickness and translucent shade, tending towards pink. This color is related to a good blood supply to the skin, which provides the tone to the body of the nails.

Normal nails also do not show cracks, blemishes, color changes or thickening. They are not too curved or too open.

In relation to the skin of the feet, they must have a hydrated appearance and have the presence of hair and certain elasticity. This demonstrates that it is receiving nutrients from the bloodstream.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and it has the function of protecting the internal organs. Any change in the skin could mean that something is wrong with your body!

We've already talked about nails, skin, nerve endings and blood vessels. But we also need to mention the bottoms of the feet. This area is also called the plantar region, popularly known as the “soles of the feet”.

The weight of the body is distributed to the feet through the plantar arches. This occurs thanks to a set of complex functions, involving muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments and nerve endings.

There is an inner and an outer arch. The inner arch is called the “foot pit”.

A healthy foot should not present an increase in plantar arch curvature (cavus foot), as well as a decrease in these (flat foot).

Diabetes, when not controlled for a long time, affects one or more of the structures described above, changing the distribution of plantar loads and, consequently, the appearance of calluses where they did not exist.

 

Why do sores appear?

 

Wounds, also known as ulcers, can result from a variety of factors.

Some examples are:

● Uncompensated diabetes;

● Lack of sensitivity;

● Decreased circulation in the extremities;

● Inappropriate footwear;

● Orthopedic foot deformities (cornes and calluses regions).

It is essential that, upon identifying a foot injury, the diabetic immediately consults their endocrinologist. This specialist will be able to diagnose the cause of the wound, in addition to determining the best treatment.

Wounds (ulcers) need special attention. If not treated correctly, they can reach deeper tissues and bone structures. Often, the consequence of this type of condition is amputation.

 

Seek treatment and monitor the health of your feet!

 

Monitoring the health of your feet through consultations with a podiatrist specialized in this area ensures what is most important in the case of diabetic feet: early diagnosis.

Even without having any lesions or symptoms, it is essential that patients with diabetes make preventive consultations. After all, with such serious consequences, this is a condition that deserves your full attention!

The podiatrist will be able to guide you on the right way to prevent injuries and ensure the health of your feet, as well as recommending the use of shoes, socks and moisturizing creams for each type of skin, and the most appropriate treatments for you!

Make your appointment today.

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