Diabetic foot

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Diabetic Foot

Diabetic foot (/daɪəˈbɛtɪk fʊt/) is a term used to describe foot problems in patients with diabetes mellitus. The etymology of the term is derived from the Greek word "diabainein" meaning "to pass through," referring to the excessive urination associated with the condition, and "foot," from the Old English "fot."

Overview

Diabetic foot problems are a major health concern and are a common cause of hospitalization. Most of these foot problems arise due to two major complications of diabetes: Peripheral neuropathy and Peripheral artery disease.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes. High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout your body. Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in your legs and feet.

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs. When you develop peripheral artery disease (PAD), your extremities — usually your legs — don't receive enough blood flow to keep up with demand. This causes symptoms, most notably leg pain when walking (claudication).

Symptoms

Symptoms of diabetic foot may include: numbness, tingling, or pain in the foot, loss of sensation in the foot, sores or ulcers that do not heal, and infection.

Prevention

Prevention of diabetic foot includes: managing blood sugar levels, regular foot checks, appropriate footwear, and avoiding foot injuries.

Treatment

Treatment of diabetic foot involves: wound care, medication, possibly surgery, and good glycemic control.

Related Terms

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski