Type 2 Diabetes - You Can Have Healthy Happy Diabetic Feet
Having Type 2 diabetes puts you at risk for foot complications like ulcers, wounds, and infections.
Fifteen to twenty-five percent of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes end up developing an ulcer, and 14 to 24 percent of people with ulcers end up needing an amputation.
In order to keep your feet healthy and prevent these issues, it helps to understand what causes foot problems and why having high and unstable blood sugar levels puts you at risk...
Peripheral Neuropathy.
A main cause of foot problems in diabetics is peripheral neuropathy, or loss of feeling in the feet.
This occurs when nerves are damaged by high blood sugar over time.
The loss of feeling makes it so foot injuries can go unnoticed and lead to ulcers, which are open sores that don't heal.
Ulcers can become infected and infections can spread to the rest of the body.
Peripheral neuropathy can also affect sensory nerves and motor nerves, which can lead to foot deformities and an abnormal gait.
This can cause calluses to form over pressure points on the foot which can also lead to ulcers and infections.
Arterial Insufficiency.
Another cause of diabetic foot problems is arterial insufficiency, or reduced blood flow to your feet.
Arterial insufficiency is caused by high blood sugar that damages blood vessels over time.
Reduced blood flow makes it difficult for injuries to heal and can increase the risk of infection.
Diabetics have less resistance to infection than non-diabetics because having too much sugar in the blood creates an environment where bacteria can easily grow.
This low resistance also increases the risk of foot complications.
Indirect Factors.
There are other factors that can contribute to diabetic foot complications.
While they don't directly cause problems to your feet, these factors make diabetics more likely to have foot problems.
One contributing factor is poor vision from diabetic retinopathy...
Depression is common in people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and it can...
And if you're diabetic and struggling with depression, ask your doctor how you can get some help dealing with depression so you can start feeling better.
If you can keep your blood sugar in check and take care of your feet, you'll be able to prevent complications.
Fifteen to twenty-five percent of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes end up developing an ulcer, and 14 to 24 percent of people with ulcers end up needing an amputation.
In order to keep your feet healthy and prevent these issues, it helps to understand what causes foot problems and why having high and unstable blood sugar levels puts you at risk...
Peripheral Neuropathy.
A main cause of foot problems in diabetics is peripheral neuropathy, or loss of feeling in the feet.
This occurs when nerves are damaged by high blood sugar over time.
The loss of feeling makes it so foot injuries can go unnoticed and lead to ulcers, which are open sores that don't heal.
Ulcers can become infected and infections can spread to the rest of the body.
Peripheral neuropathy can also affect sensory nerves and motor nerves, which can lead to foot deformities and an abnormal gait.
This can cause calluses to form over pressure points on the foot which can also lead to ulcers and infections.
Arterial Insufficiency.
Another cause of diabetic foot problems is arterial insufficiency, or reduced blood flow to your feet.
Arterial insufficiency is caused by high blood sugar that damages blood vessels over time.
Reduced blood flow makes it difficult for injuries to heal and can increase the risk of infection.
Diabetics have less resistance to infection than non-diabetics because having too much sugar in the blood creates an environment where bacteria can easily grow.
This low resistance also increases the risk of foot complications.
Indirect Factors.
There are other factors that can contribute to diabetic foot complications.
While they don't directly cause problems to your feet, these factors make diabetics more likely to have foot problems.
One contributing factor is poor vision from diabetic retinopathy...
- this eye condition is also caused by high blood sugar.
- poor vision makes you more likely to develop foot problems because it's harder to see and take care of your feet.
For example, overgrown toenails can lead to trauma to the skin on your feet. - poor eyesight can also lead to falls that could cause foot injuries.
Depression is common in people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and it can...
- make it difficult to take care of yourself and your feet.
- skin infections and injuries can happen when the feet aren't examined and cared for daily.
And if you're diabetic and struggling with depression, ask your doctor how you can get some help dealing with depression so you can start feeling better.
If you can keep your blood sugar in check and take care of your feet, you'll be able to prevent complications.