Ok i hope i'm not breaking any copyright laws but got this from
www.drfoot.co.uk its pretty basic info but its useful. there are lots of websites out there that will give you some information but becareful not to dig too deep and scare yourself with it all....
The three main complications associated with diabetes are: -
?Neuropathy (diminished sensation)
?Poor circulation
?Decreased resistance to infection.
Neuropathy can simply be defined as a complete or partial loss of sensation in the feet and legs. A patient may not be able to feel a soft touch or a sharp sensation on their lower limbs. Therefore, the patient is unable to recognize and prevent injuries due to neuropathy. This can result in severe trauma and injury to the feet.
A chiropodist may test if a diabetic patient has neuropathic feet by testing if the patient can feel soft touch, sharp touch and use a vibrating fork to test if the patient can feel the sensation of vibration against their skin.
Neuropathy can also lead to sharp shooting pains in the feet. These can be very painful and usually occur at night. It can also cause muscle weakness in the foot, which can result in foot drop. Foot drop is when a foot can not be raised during walking. This may lead to bunions, corns and calluses
Poor Circulation
People with diabetes often suffer from peripheral vascular disease. This can result in cramps in the calves. This is known as intermittent claudication. The temperature of the skin may decrease and there may be a change in color of the skin. A decrease in the flow of blood to the feet produces inadequate delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the foot. This can lead to serious consequences if a foot is injured, as healing will be impaired. For this reason, diabetic patients are urged to take better care of their feet. Especially elderly diabetic patients, as infections can spread rapidly through their feet.
Bev
