The Diabetic Foot
Diabetic foot problems are a significant health concern. Many risk factors and health problems can lead to severe problems for the diabetic foot. Common medical issues associated with diabetes include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, neuropathy, poor vision, kidney problems, infection, and poor healing. Diabetes is a systemic disease and can create problems for several body systems.
For people with diabetes, careful, daily inspection of the feet is essential to overall health and the prevention of damaging foot problems. Most foot problems that people with diabetes face arise from two serious complications of the disease: nerve damage and poor circulation. The lack of feeling and reduced blood flow can allow a small blister to progress to a severe infection in a matter of days. Chronic nerve damage (neuropathy) can cause dry and cracked skin, which provides an opportunity for bacteria to enter and cause infection.
These, in turn, can cause orthopedic problems, such as deformities, walking problems, hammer toes, high-pressure areas in the bottom of the foot where you get the big calluses under the metatarsal areas, thus ulcerations and other skin problems. Moreover, dry skin is a common manifestation of diabetes.