Amputations avoid: diabetics should examine their feet daily to skin defects

Feet of people with Diabetes need a lot of care

In Germany, more and more diabetics life. Diabetes can lead to numerous complications, including a so-called diabetic foot syndrome, the long course of the disease with surgical interventions, up to and including Amputation can lead. People suffering from Diabetes, should check daily your feet and maintain it well.

Disease can lead to numerous secondary diseases to

In Germany, approximately 7.6 million people are affected, according to a analysis of Diabetes. The disease can lead to numerous secondary diseases to. Often, Diabetes is caused in the course of time diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, diabetics are subject to the risk of suffering a so-called diabetic foot syndrome is a late consequence of diabetes. This can expand a small injury fast to large wounds with severe inflammation that, if untreated, to long courses of disease with surgical interventions, up to and including Amputation can result. Therefore, people with diabetes should have their feet on a daily skin defects investigate and a lot of care in foot care.

Impaired Wound Healing

In people with Diabetes, it comes as a result of years of changes in metabolism were due to the increased blood sugar levels, to changes of the foot: nerves are affected, blood vessels, muscles, ligaments and bones.

Such as the German society for Orthopaedics and traumatology e. V. (DGOU) explained in a communication, the feet to be dry and cracked and are therefore vulnerable to injury.

The wound healing is disturbed due to circulatory disorders. In addition, due to nerve damage (polyneuropathy) in the loss of sensitivity to pain: For example, a pain in the stones is not perceived in the Shoe and can RUB against the feet sore.

“The lack of skin sensitivity must therefore be compensated by a control of view”, explains Dr. Jörn Dohle, head of the DGOU-section of German Association for foot and ankle surgery (D. A. F.).

Even small injuries immediately

If a small injury or a beginning of the end of inflammation on the foot, it should be dealt with immediately.

“Slight Defects can develop rapidly into chronic wounds if they are not treated in the early stages,” warns D. A. F.-expert Dr. Tanja Kostuj.

As ulcers, in which the surrounding tissue becomes inflamed and dies would have to bear, for example. In consequence of the Amputation of toes, a foot or an entire leg, which threatened to rare.

However, many of these amputations can be avoided.

Life-Long Rehabilitation Needs

Health experts advise diabetics to always be careful with the feet.

“The early detection of abnormalities is critical for a good healing. Diabetics should be the smallest of skin tears, injury and pressure points present on the foot and therefore early a specialist,“ said Prof. Dr. Carsten Perka, Vice-President of the DGOU.

However, many patients with a diabetic foot ulcer go to the doctor if you have serious complaints, and are then transferred, often to late for the specialists.

According to the experts there are in Germany annually approx. 19,000 in amputations of the upper and lower limb (major amputation) and 44.0000 amputations of the foot – in 43 percent of cases, blood circulation disorders are the cause in 39 percent of cases of Diabetes mellitus.

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Greitemann, Chairman of the DGOU section of the Association of Technical Orthopaedics (VTO), power-on the serious consequences of a leg or foot amputation to the attention of:

“Patients have a need for an Amputation is a life-long Rehabilitation – walking with a prosthesis has to be re-learned.”

So complications can be avoided

Prevention measures and early diagnosis and / or therapy are crucial for the maintenance of the feet in diabetics.

Orthopedic surgeons therefore advise you to take the following measures:

Self-examination: diabetics or their family members should the feet every day after injury, pressure points, and nail changes search. In the case of damage, immediate medical advice should be sought, in order to prevent the Spread of inflammation.

Foot care: The feet should be washed daily and waxed it. Also the care of the toe nails is one of these, where appropriate, by one skilled in the art. The sock exchange and the disinfection of the shoes from the inside, should be carried out every day.

Shoes: diabetics should not be too tight or rubbing shoes, so it’s not to pressure sores or ulcers comes. The Shoe should be on the toes is large enough and no inner seams have. Advantageously, it is a soft, breathable leather and or soft toe. There is already nerve damage (polyneuropathy), or foot deformities, attention should be paid to a suitable individual diabetics Foundation of the foot, just Soft.

Shoe exchange: diabetics should be to reduce pressure points and often times the shoes change.

Immediately to the doctor: Any swelling in the feet, the smallest damage to the skin or a fungal infection should undergo a medical examination to be.

Footwear: barefoot running should due to the risk of injury avoided, especially if you already have a nerve damage (polyneuropathy) was found, i.e., the pain stimulus as a natural protection against deep injury fails.

Presentation in a “Diabetic Fußambulanz”: already open and inflamed areas on the feet and pronounced diabetic foot ulcers should quickly Wundsanierung be made to an Amputation counter. (ad)