If you’re living with diabetes, you are at risk of developing diabetic ulcers. Learn more about this risk and how The Foot & Ankle Group in Bordentown, Columbus, and Mount Laurel, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA, can help in the guide below.
Guide to Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Diabetes impacts the body in many ways and often leads to diabetic ulcers on the feet. In this quick guide, the team at The Foot & Ankle Group in Bordentown, Columbus, and Mount Laurel, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA explains what causes these ulcers and more.
What Causes Diabetic Foot Ulcers?
Below are four of the most common causes of diabetic foot ulcers.
- Nerve damage: When the nerves become damaged, it’s difficult to notice that something is wrong with the foot. Cuts, blisters, and other issues go unnoticed and untreated, leaving them open and vulnerable.
- High blood sugar: The higher the level of blood glucose, the more the blood vessels narrow and arteries thicken. This impedes the flow of blood and oxygen to the feet, which are necessary for healing and foot health.
- Weakened immunity: Among the many jobs of the immune system is ridding the body of dead skin cells and building new ones in the case of injury. Unfortunately, diabetes weakens immunity, meaning that it’s not able to do these very important jobs.
- Infections: When sores go untreated and are left open, they are targets for infection. Additionally, a weakened immune system means that the body is not able to properly fight off such an infection.
What Are the Risk Factors for Diabetic Foot Ulcers?
Anyone living with diabetes is at risk of developing ulcers, but the following factors increase your risk.
- Wearing shoes that don’t fit properly
- Having heart disease, kidney disease, or peripheral vascular disease
- Having previous ulcers
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking
- Being overweight or obese
- Trimming toenails too short or at a curve
- Not washing your feet each day or thoroughly drying them
- Walking barefoot or with open-toed shoes
- Not inspecting your feet or treating wounds as soon as possible
Addressing these risk factors can lower your risk substantially, as can visiting a podiatrist regularly.
From foot inspections and trimming nails to treating diabetic ulcers, the team at The Foot & Ankle Group in Bordentown, Columbus, and Mount Laurel, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA, are here for you. Schedule an appointment at our Mount Laurel office at (856) 234-0195, our Philadelphia office at (215) 332-5300, our Bordentown office at (609) 291-0960, or our Columbus office at (609) 298-7000.
