Early signs of diabetic foot disease

Written by Yang Li
Endocrinology
Updated on September 19, 2024
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Some early signs of diabetic foot disease include a decrease in skin temperature of both feet, such as constantly feeling coldness in the feet, which indicates insufficient blood supply. Another symptom is peripheral neuropathy, which manifests as numbness or burning in both feet, and unusual sensations like stepping on cotton or feeling like ants are crawling. These are also early signs of diabetic foot disease. Once there is a break in the skin surface, it is crucial to be vigilant as it might be diabetic foot disease. Diabetic foot disease is a very serious condition and one must take early preventive measures. At the slightest sign of any skin break, it is essential to seek proper treatment at a standard hospital.

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Written by Yang Li
Endocrinology
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Can diabetic foot be cured?

Diabetic foot can potentially be cured, and it can improve, but it depends on the specific circumstances. Diabetic foot varies in severity and is classified into different levels. In medical terms, it is classified based on its appearance, and different classifications have different prognoses. Even within the same classification, factors like the patient's vascular condition, baseline nutritional status, age, duration of diabetes, and many other factors can influence whether diabetic foot can be cured. In clinical practice, there are many diabetic foot patients who, after comprehensive treatment, achieve complete wound healing. Therefore, whether diabetic foot can be cured depends on many factors.

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Written by Yang Li
Endocrinology
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How to relieve pain in diabetic foot?

If diabetic foot is combined with pain, it often depends on the severity of the diabetic foot. It has a Wagner grading system. If there is an obvious wound that extends to the bone, anti-infection treatment is very important, and surgical assessment is necessary to determine if the foot can be saved. If the wound is superficial and only involves the epidermis, local anti-infection and circulation improvement are fundamental. In such cases, COX-2 inhibitors and non-steroidal analgesic drugs may be used. If the pain is caused by peripheral neuropathy, the first step is to nourish the nerves, for example with mecobalamin, and treat the neuropathy with drugs like epalrestat, along with drugs like cilostazol that improve microcirculation. Effective treatments targeted at this type of neuropathic pain include drugs like pregabalin and etoricoxib, designed for bone pain, and gabapentin-related medications can also be used. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
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How to deal with diabetic foot ulcers.

For diabetic foot ulcers, the first step is to assess the severity of the foot wound. Treatment definitely requires timely consultation with an endocrinology specialist. The first step is to control blood sugar levels to meet targets; second, control blood pressure and blood lipids; third, administer systemic anti-infection treatment, choosing a sensitive antibiotic based on the wound secretion cultures; fourth, local wound management involves debridement and dressing changes depending on the condition of the wound; fifth, an ultrasound of the lower limb vessels can be conducted to check for arterial sclerosis or occlusion, subsequently using medication to improve circulation.

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Written by Lin Xiang Dong
Endocrinology
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incidence of diabetic foot

As the number of diabetic patients increases, the incidence of diabetic foot also rises. Currently, the prevalence of diabetic foot in China is 5.7%, which is below the global average. Diabetic foot primarily occurs in patients who have had diabetes for over ten years, often due to poor blood sugar control and inadequate care. Diabetic foot is also one of the three major non-traumatic causes of amputation. Therefore, the most severe consequence of diabetic foot is amputation.

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Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
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Can diabetic foot be cured?

Diabetes has many complications, and once detected, the complications of diabetes cannot be completely cured. Diabetic foot is a relatively serious complication of diabetes. Diabetic foot generally involves many years of underlying vascular and nerve damage that eventually leads to infection or ulceration, resulting in the final formation of diabetic foot. Whether such a serious complication can be cured actually depends on the duration of the patient’s condition, the extent of the lesion, and most importantly, how soon they seek medical attention. For instance, if the infection is very severe, has damaged the bone, or if there is dry gangrene with local tissue necrosis in the foot, then no matter what conservative treatment is applied, it will not be effective, and surgical amputation will be the only option, meaning the foot cannot be saved. However, if some individuals only have early-stage skin ulceration that cannot heal, or if there is an infection that is not very severe, and they seek medical attention early, controlling the infection and treating with nerve nutrition and vascular protection can actually heal the ulcerated area of the foot.