Here we will talk about the signs of diabetic ulcers on the feet. In the medical world, foot ulcers are one of the most common and serious complications in diabetics. It occurs in about 15% of people with diabetes. As the American Podiatric Medical Association says. Diabetic ulcers on the feet can occur in anyone who has diabetes, either type 2 or type 1 and this refers to open sores on the feet. These sores usually form under the big toe or on the bottom of the foot.
So, why do diabetics have foot ulcers? There are main reasons why people with diabetes can experience a problem called foot ulcers, among these reasons are:
- Trauma or injury to the foot
- Wearing shoes that don’t fit the size
- There is no smooth blood flow to the legs
- Increased pressure on the feet
- Nerve damage so that a person does not feel his feet normally.
Those are some of the reasons why diabetics can experience foot ulcers. So, someone with diabetes, he must be careful with the health of his feet and avoid some of the causes of foot ulcers.
If people with diabetes have long had ulcers on their feet, this can increase the potential for future infections. This means that a wound in the leg can spread to the bone, indeed there are antibiotics for the wound, but if many parts of the bone are affected, the leg must be removed or amputated.
So, diabetic patients should be able to find or identify the symptoms or types of sores, especially if they are getting worse. So, how do you know if you have a foot ulcer?
If the foot ulcer is at an advanced stage, you should already know. These ulcers develop under the feet and form a red crater on the skin and are lined by thickened calluses. Severe ulcers can be very deep and can expose tendons and bone. While other symptoms may not be easy to recognize. To better understand foot ulcers, here are some common signs and symptoms of foot ulcers in diabetics, and these should really be watched out for.
1. Unusual swelling and redness
In the early stages, you may notice irritation and swelling of the skin on your feet or around them. Sometimes there is also a warm sensation that occurs in the legs, this may be caused by peripheral neuropathy (damage to the nerves).
2. Drainage on your shirt or shoes
Sometimes you also notice that there is fluid coming out of your feet and staining your socks and shoes. All types of wounds have varying drainage, such as blood mixed with pus, clear fluid, or blood and this can be a sign of infection but is not certain. If you notice drainage in the wound on your leg, contact your doctor immediately. There is also an unpleasant odor in this drainage.
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3. Color change
Symptoms of foot ulcers in diabetics are also marked by discoloration of the infected area. Appears black or brown tissue which in medical science is called eschar. This black tissue often appears around the wound due to lack of blood flow to the area. If the wound has progressed to a stage where the wound is covered with eschar, then this can be considered severe. The skin damaged by this wound provides access for germs and bacteria to enter easily into the tissue. Then it can cause a skin infection called cellulitis or sepsis. This is a potentially life-threatening and extreme body response to the infection.
4. Flour, corn and calluses
Symptoms of foot ulcers in people with diabetes can also be in the form of blisters or calluses on the skin. This is very susceptible to occur in diabetics, this is sometimes often referred to as the development of diabetic foot ulcers, especially if they have not healed after a long period of time.
5. Have body fever and chills
Foot ulcers can also cause the body to react and this causes a fever as in other infections. This fever is your body’s reaction to fighting an infection. Body fever makes it difficult for bacteria to survive and fever also activates the immune system. If the fever is very severe, this indicates the infection is getting worse.
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6. Continuous pain
Sometimes you experience constant pain in the leg when you walk or when you lift your leg. Be careful, this is one of the symptoms of diabetic foot ulcers.
7. Athlete’s foot
Fungal infections of the feet cause the skin to become dry, cracked and this must be treated immediately by medical or other professional personnel. If not treated quickly, you may experience serious complications such as leg ulcers.
8. Partial or complete gangrene
The next symptom and sign is the risk of gangrene, which can be said to be a type of death in body tissues. This condition is higher and more common in people with diabetes.
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Among the symptoms of gangrene are blisters, swelling, intense pain, shiny skin, thin skin, and changes in skin color. However this depends on the type of gangrene, sometimes the color can be blue, purple, red, bronze and black.
What should you do if you see a problem
If you see signs of diabetic ulcers on the feet, then this should not be taken lightly. You may think this is an ulcer, or a common leg pain, but all you have to do is see a doctor to avoid further damage or infection. The sooner you get medical help, the less likely it is for complications to occur in the future.
