Diabetic foot ulcers - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery

Everything you need to know about Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Get help from experienced vascular surgeons to resolve diabetic foot ulcers in a safe and effective treatment. A diabetic foot ulcer is a serious condition that may require amputation if the nerves get severely damaged. To prevent that from happening, it is important to get prompt treatment. Consult a vascular specialist today and find out the right course of treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.

Proper foot care can help you prevent a lot of common problems and treat them before they lead to serious complications. Here are the tips that will help you prevent foot problems:

Take care of your overall health diabetes and follow your doctor’s advice to keep your blood sugar levels in the ideal range.
Wash your feet in warm water and test the temperature with your elbow as the nerve damage in the feet will make you unable to feel the coldness or hotness of the water. Also, make sure that you do not soak your feet and dry them well.
Check your feet for sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other injuries every day, especially if you have poor blood flow in the feet.
Make sure that your feet don’t get too dry. Keep it moist using lotion but don’t put lotion between your toes. Also, make sure that you consult your doctor before using any type of lotion for the feet.
If calluses or smooth corns form in the feet, use an emery board or pumice stone to remove them after you take a bath or shower. The skin in the feet will be soft during and after the shower. Hence, it will be easier to remove.
Always wear stockings or socks that fit you well and have soft elastic. Also, avoid walking barefoot or wearing sandals to ensure that your feet don’t get injured. Prefer wearing closed-toed shoes or slippers.
Protect your feet from extreme heat and cold.
Make sure that the blood flow in your feet is maintained properly. Keep your feet up while sitting, move your ankles, wiggle your toes, and don’t sit cross-legged for a longer duration.
If you smoke or drink alcohol, stop as soon as possible. Both these habits can make the existing foot problem worse, especially smoking.
Visit the diabetes doctor regularly and make sure that the doctor checks your feet during each checkup.
If an ulcer has already formed, contact a vascular specialist without any delay.

When to consult a doctor?

If you are a diabetic patient, you should consult a doctor right away if you experience one or more of the following:

Changes in your foot shape
Changes in the skin in the feet, such as a wound, redness, darkness, or foul odor coming from the feet
Hair loss in the feet and legs
Sores in the affected foot.
Any cut or injury in the body which is not healing well.
Loss of feeling or sensation in the toes, feet, or legs
Pain or tingling sensation in the feet or legs
Thick or yellow toenails

Questions to ask your doctor

What is the procedure I will undergo?

Are there any other alternative treatment options besides surgery?

What benefits does surgery have in terms of pain relief and leg & foot function?

What is the success rate of diabetic foot ulcer surgery?

Will you have to undergo surgery multiple times to completely treat the foot ulcer?

What are the chances of having a diabetic foot ulcer again?

How much pain will I have after the surgery?

Will I have any disability after ulcer surgery?

When can I return to work?

When will I be able to walk again?

FAQ

How common is diabetic foot ulcer?

More than 15% of patients who have diabetes suffer from diabetic foot ulcers at some point in life. Thus, it is very common to develop a foot ulcer if you don’t pay attention to the condition and manage it properly.

Can a diabetic foot ulcer be treated at home?

No. A diabetic foot ulcer cannot and should not be treated at home. In most cases, the ulcer becomes infected which further delays the healing process increasing the chances of infection. Removing the infection is not possible with home remedies. You should always consult a doctor for proper treatment of foot ulcers.

Why a foot ulcer won’t heal?

A foot ulcer won’t heal if you have peripheral artery disease (PAD). It will cause malfunctioning in the circulatory system which won’t allow the ulcer to heal properly. For a non-healing ulcer, you should know that there are minimally invasive treatment methods available for such ulcers.

Can I apply a cream to a diabetic foot ulcer?

Yes. You can use certain creams or moisturizers to promote the healing of the diabetic ulcer. Doctors often advise patients that contain urea as it will create a barrier film over the wound and aids in healing.

How do you know that your foot ulcer is infected?

The signs of infection in a diabetic foot ulcer are quite obvious. You will experience pain, tenderness, sensitiveness, and firmness in the wound. In addition to the pain, you may also notice swelling or irritation in your foot.

What does gangrene in a foot ulcer look like?

Gangrene in the foot ulcer looks normal at first. However, as the condition becomes serious, the skin will turn pale, then gray, and ultimately purplish red. The skin tissues will start dying off and the muscles underneath will be exposed.

Is it always important to take antibiotics for foot ulcer treatment?

No. Treatment of diabetic foot ulcers using antibiotics won’t be required if the ulcer is not infected. In case mild soft tissue infection is present, it can be treated using oral antibiotics such as clindamycin, dicloxacillin, cephalexin, etc.

Approximately 4.54% of newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes patients were found to have diabetic foot ulcers.
Out of this 4.54%, 46.1% had neuropathic, 19.7% had ischemic, and 34.2% had neuroischemic foot ulcers.
Globally, the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers was 6.3% to 8.5%, which was higher in males [4.5%] than in females [3.5%].
A diabetic foot ulcer is higher in type 2 diabetic patients [6.4%] than in type 1 diabetics [5.5%].

Pristyn Care Takes Care of the Start-to-End Journey for Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Pristyn Care is one of the leading health tech startups in India dedicated to simplifying the surgical experience of patients. We not only help the patients with their digital journey but also provide complete assistance in the treatment journey.

It doesn’t matter where you reside in India, we try our best to provide medical care to everyone who needs it. We handle the various aspects of the treatment, including:

Scheduling the appointment with the doctor
Booking tests at the diagnostic labs
Providing free cab service on the day of surgery
Flexible payment system with No-Cost EMI
Providing a deluxe bed during the hospital stay
Handling insurance paperwork and claim process
Making follow-up appointments with the doctor

From the moment you get in touch with us till the day you have recovered completely, our representatives will be available round-the-clock and ensure that there are no obstacles in your journey.

Get Advanced Treatment for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Under Vascular Experts

Pristyn Care has the best team of vascular surgeons across major cities. Our doctors have more than 8 years of experience and have expert knowledge of the advanced treatment methods that can be used for foot ulcer treatment. You can get in touch with our doctors by making a call or filling the “Book Appointment” form.

The doctor will discuss everything during the initial consultation and examine the ulcer. After diagnosis, the doctor will determine the best course of action to treat the ulcer effectively. If necessary, the doctor will recommend surgical treatment and use advanced USFDA-approved technology to help restore leg function and mobility.