Diabetic foot is a complication of long-term diabetes. Excessive glucose present in the blood over time may result in this condition. Poor blood circulation and nerve damage are common in diabetic people, which might cause blisters, foot infections, sores, ulcers, etc.
If not properly taken care of, infections in the foot can spread to other parts of the body, which can be a severe condition. Here, a plastic surgeon performs reconstructive foot and ankle repair. You might connect with the top plastic surgeon in Siliguri city in this regard.
People with diabetes might develop diabetic-related foot conditions due to various situations, such as:
- Poor blood flow in the feet
- Nerve damage to the feet
- Frequent rise in high blood sugar
- Uncontrolled, long-term diabetes
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Obesity/excessive body weight
Let’s identify the symptoms of diabetic foot:
- Changes in the skin temperature
- Skin discoloration
- Swollen foot or ankle
- Unusual foot odor that won’t go away
- Ingrown toenails
- Fungus buildup in the toenails
- Pain and numbness in the feet
- Dry carks around the heels
- Pain in the legs
- Corns
- Sores, cuts, blisters, and wounds in the feet that heal progressively
- Darkened skin in the affected region
If you notice such signs, consult your doctor/diabetes specialist. Long-standing and poorly managed diabetes can be responsible for diabetes-related neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy more commonly affects the legs and feet.
Peripheral artery disease is not uncommon with diabetes, leading to reduced blood supply, which can obstruct diabetic-related foot condition healing. You might talk to the best board-certified plastic cosmetic surgeon in Siliguri.
Complications of diabetic-related foot conditions include:
- Infection tends to be the very first complication of the diabetic foot. Poor blood flow, blood vessel damage, and nerve damage in the feet double its risk. Infections, typically, start from a wound/cut.
- Abscess is an occasional complication of diabetic foot infections, resulting from poorly managed soft tissue injury. In case, infections travel up to the bones creating an abscess, a pocket of pus. Immediate surgical drainage and debridement are essential.
- Deformities due to diabetes-related nerve damage can be claw feet, pes cavus, hammertoes, callus, hallux valgus, metatarsal head, etc. Not all foot complications here can be prevented.
- Charcot foot is a gradual weakening of joints, bones, and soft tissues of the ankle and foot. Symptoms of this inflammatory pedal disease include swelling, foot pain, feeling warm to the touch, numbness in one/both ankles, redness around the area, etc.
Based on your foot condition, a specialist will recommend treatment, such as oral or IV antibiotics, wound cleaning, and dressing, removing calluses, prescribing a walking cast, suggesting a diet plan and exercise, etc. If non-surgical treatment doesn’t work, the doctor may advise surgical techniques, such as amputation. Reach out to the best plastic surgeon in Siliguri for diabetic foot.
In amputation, the surgeon will take out the damaged/affected tissue and keep healthy tissues as much as possible. A few days of hospital stay is required. It may take a minimum of 4 weeks to heal. It’s vital that you follow your diabetes treatment plan and lifestyle modifications to prevent further complications.