People with diabetes need to check their feet daily. Even ordinary problems can get worse and lead to serious complications.
Foot
problems most often happen when there is nerve damage, also called
neuropathy, which results in loss of feeling in your feet. Poor blood
flow or changes in the shape of your feet or toes may also cause
problems.
Diabetic
nerve damage can also lessen your ability to feel pain, heat, and cold.
Loss of feeling often means you may not feel a foot injury. You could
have a tack or stone in your shoe and walk on it all day without
knowing. You could get a blister and not feel it. You might not notice
a foot injury until the skin breaks down and becomes infected.
Diabetes can cause changes in the skin of your foot. At times your foot may become very dry. The skin may peel and crack. The problem is that nerves controlling the oil and moisture to the skin in your foot no longer work. If the skin opens, an ulcer (wound) forms. According to the American Diabetes Association, any wound that remains unhealed after 4 weeks is cause for concern, and may lead to amputation.
Initial Exam of Diabetic Ulcer
Adler Podiatry & Wound Care utilizes the latest, most advanced techniques in the treatment of diabetic ulcers. Healing your ulcer requires coordinating care with your medical doctor and possibly a vascular surgeon and infectious disease specialist.
Post Dermagraft® Application
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) often occur from complications diabetic peripheral neuropathy (loss of feeling) in the legs and feet. 15% of diabetics will develop a DFU in their lifetime.
Pre Dermagraft® Application
If not properly treated, DFUs can result in serious complications, including amputation. In fact, of those patients who do develop a DFU, 14% to 24% will require an amputation. In the United States, approximately 60% of all lower extremity amputations occur among persons with diabetes; of these amputations, approximately 85% are preceded by a foot ulcer. Additionally, the rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.
Post Dermagraft® Application
