Diabetes is a very dangerous disease and quite often can cause serious complications on the legs. Approximately 25-35% of people with diabetes will develop foot problems during their lifetime. The likelihood of their occurrence increases with age. Leg diseases in diabetes bring a lot of trouble to both doctors and patients, but, unfortunately, there is no simple solution to this problem yet. If such pain occurs, you should immediately consult a professional doctor, only he can prescribe the correct course of treatment.
The goal of treatment is to relieve pain in the legs (and ideally eliminate them completely), and maintain the patient’s ability to fully move. If preventive measures and treatment of complications of diabetes are ignored, the patient may develop serious problems on the legs, including the loss of toes or feet. Legs with diabetes mellitus hurt because due to atherosclerosis, an excessively narrow lumen remains in the blood vessels. The tissues of the legs do not receive the required amount of blood, as a result of which they send pain signals.
Foot problems with diabetes usually occur in two main scenarios:
1. Nerve fibers are affected by chronically elevated blood sugar, as a result of which they stop conducting impulses. This leads to the fact that the legs lose sensitivity, and this phenomenon is called diabetic neuropathy.
2. The blood vessels supplying the legs become blocked due to the formation of a blood clot (i.e. thrombus) or atherosclerosis. Oxygen starvation of tissues (ischemia) begins. In this case, the legs usually hurt.
Especially in old age, it is necessary to carefully examine your feet and legs every day. In case of disturbance of blood flow through the vessels, external early signs can be noticed. Peripheral arterial disease has early symptoms:
1. The skin on the legs becomes dry, possibly flaking combined with itching.
2. Areas of depigmentation or pigmentation may appear on the skin.
3. Hair on the lower legs of men turns gray and falls out.
4. The skin may become cold to the touch and persistently pale.
5. It may also take on a bluish color and become warm.
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Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by elevated blood glucose levels. This complication of the disease causes the patient to lose the ability to feel touch to the legs, pressure, pain, cold and heat. Even if he hurts his leg, he may not feel it. Many people with diabetes then develop ulcers on the soles of their feet and legs. These ulcers usually take a long time to heal. If the sensitivity of the legs is weakened, wounds and ulcers do not cause pain.
Even a foot fracture or dislocation can be virtually painless. This is called diabetic foot syndrome. Since patients do not feel pain, most of them are lazy to follow medical recommendations. As a result, harmful bacteria multiply in the wounds, which can contribute to gangrene and leg amputation.
With reduced blood vessel patency, leg tissues begin to experience “hunger” and send signals of pain. Pain may only occur when walking or at rest. In a certain sense, this is even good if your legs hurt due to diabetes. For a person with diabetes, this is a good incentive to seek professional medical help and strictly adhere to the prescribed course of treatment.
Problems with the blood vessels supplying the legs are called peripheral artery disease. The meaning is peripheral - far from the center. With a narrowed lumen in the blood vessels in diabetes, intermittent claudication begins in many cases. This means that due to severe pain in the legs, the patient has to stop or walk slowly. In cases where peripheral arterial disease is accompanied by diabetic neuropathy, pain may be completely absent or quite mild.
The combination of loss of pain sensation and blocked blood vessels greatly increases the likelihood of amputation of one or both legs. Due to “starvation,” leg tissue continues to deteriorate, even if the patient does not feel pain.
An experienced doctor can check by touch the patient’s pulse in the arteries that supply the tissues of the legs. This method is considered the most accessible and simplest for detecting peripheral circulatory disorders. But at the same time, the pulsation in the artery is significantly reduced or stops only when its lumen narrows by 90 percent or more. And to prevent tissue “starvation” it is too late. Therefore, with the help of modern medical equipment, more sensitive diagnostic methods are used. To improve the quality of life of a diabetic and relieve pain, doctors may prescribe surgery to restore blood flow in the arteries of the lower extremities.
Foot disease in diabetes mellitus is a whole problem for diabetics. Impaired blood flow in the patient’s body causes pain in the lower extremities. As diabetes develops, the walls of blood vessels lose their elasticity and gradually narrow, forming a thin lumen. As a result, the tissues of the legs are poorly supplied with blood, and pain occurs.
Sugar disease is considered an incurable disease. The course of the disease produces various complications over time. In thirty cases out of a hundred, patients' lower limbs fail. The main reasons for this condition:
Pain in the lower extremities in diabetes mellitus is more often observed in patients who neglect a strict diet.
In addition to pain, complications on the legs of diabetics are characterized by the following symptoms:
The presence of such signs requires immediate contact with a specialist.
Doctors diagnose two main diseases of the lower extremities in patients with “sugar disease”:
Diabetic neuropathy is a disease associated with damage to the nervous system. The lower limbs do not receive impulses from the body and feel practically nothing. The patient ceases to feel heat and cold, touching the legs, pressure on the limbs, even if he receives serious damage.
Many patients with diabetic neuropathy develop ulcers on their feet. Diabetics do not feel pain, but such formations take a very long time to heal.
A type of neuropathy is diabetic foot syndrome. The disease is characterized not only by the appearance of ulcers on the feet, but also by a complete absence of pain in case of serious injuries, for example, dislocations and fractures.
The consequences of the syndrome are disastrous. If timely serious treatment is not started, the patient develops gangrene followed by amputation of the lower extremities.
Atherosclerosis is the second disease that causes complications on the legs. The disease is characterized by blockage of blood vessels. Simply put, the tunnel through which the blood circulates becomes so narrow that the red fluid has difficulty getting through it.
First, blood clots form, then blood clots. As a result, severe pain occurs in places where blood vessels are blocked. Peripheral artery disease develops , which provokes the occurrence of intermittent claudication.
Patients suffering from this disease practically stop walking. The pain is so strong that when walking, a diabetic has to move slowly and constantly stop.
There are cases when diabetic neuropathy develops against the background of peripheral artery disease. The disease is characterized by the fact that the patient does not feel pain at all when the blood vessels are blocked. In this case, the patient has one or both limbs amputated.
“Sugar disease,” due to its unpredictability, can “give” the patient one or several leg diseases at once.
Diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy occurs in several main stages:
In addition, electroneurography and electromyography are performed simultaneously to study the functioning of muscles and nerves.
The presence of peripheral artery disease and atherosclerosis is diagnosed by the following signs:
To confirm the diagnosis, an examination is carried out:
Diagnosis of diabetic foot is made on the basis of laboratory tests, first of all. The patient takes blood tests for sugar, cholesterol, and hemoglobin levels. The presence of sugar and ketone bodies in the urine is analyzed.
A visual examination, several sensitivity tests, collection of information about the duration of diabetes mellitus, and assessment of the reflex state of the legs are performed.
If ulcers are present, an x-ray of the foot for possible infections of the bones of the foot.
By analogy, intermittent claudication is diagnosed . The patient is prescribed a set of tests. Then an examination is performed using ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography and spiral computed tomography.
This study allows you to see the structure of the tissues of the lower extremities and the places of vasoconstriction.
The main sign indicating the presence of this disease is high levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, as well as difficulty moving the patient when walking.
To begin treating legs for diabetes, you will have to visit several specialists: an endocrinologist, cardiologist, neurologist, therapist, surgeon and others to make an accurate diagnosis. We will treat the limbs by influencing the cause.
Based on the diagnosis received, you will be prescribed a set of hygienic, preventive and medicinal measures.
For diabetics who do not always follow the rules of diet and nutrition, it’s time to pay attention to this. For any disease of the lower extremities, first of all we normalize the sugar level and maintain it throughout life.
Nobody canceled therapeutic exercises For “sugar patients” this is very important. As soon as the legs and feet begin to recover, it is necessary to give the body additional capabilities and resources through a set of therapeutic exercises.
Drug treatment involves the use of drugs that improve blood microcirculation. Products are used that protect blood vessels, renew and support the tissues of the lower extremities, as well as anti-stress, sedative and diuretic drugs, antiseptics, and antibiotics.
Medicines are also prescribed to eliminate diseases accompanying diabetes mellitus: hypertension, arrhythmia, dysfunction of the thyroid gland and kidneys.
If you find ulcers on your feet, you should immediately run to the doctor. You won't be able to defeat them at home. The presence of the disease is associated with hormonal changes in the body during diabetes. In this case, in addition to tests, the endocrinologist will prescribe antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, desensitizing agents, and antiplatelet agents.
Surgical intervention also takes place. The surgeon removes areas of necrosis and inflammation on the feet that are in a neglected state. After the operation, the patient is prescribed antibiotics and local treatment.
If gangrene is detected, one or both limbs are amputated to the point where tissue infection ends. If the operation is not performed in a timely manner, gangrene rises higher in the legs, blood poisoning occurs and death occurs.
The decision to amputate is made individually in each case. Initially, a set of measures is taken to transform wet gangrene into dry gangrene in order to reduce the size of the cut off area.
You can treat legs with diabetes using folk remedies. But this does not always give the expected results. It all depends on the complexity of the disease itself. In this case, the patient will have to strictly follow a diet and maintain sugar levels.
There are not many traditional methods, let’s go over the main ones:
All traditional methods are applicable for normal sugar levels. Otherwise, a harmless compress will only do harm. Be sure to consult a specialist before use.
Every patient with diabetes has a fairly high risk of lower extremity disease. To avoid this, it is enough to take simple preventive measures:
Read about other dangers of diabetes here.
In a short video, an endocrinologist talks about what you need to pay attention to, about the basic principles of caring for the lower extremities “in case of diabetes.”
If you have diabetes, teach yourself to take care of your feet more often. It is better to wash them daily with cool water. Let the shoes be of high quality and comfortable. You'll have to forget about heels. Watch your feet. At the slightest hint of fungus, go to a specialist. Be healthy!
The presence of pain symptoms in the lower extremities in people suffering from diabetes is caused by damage to almost every peripheral nerve. Disorder of the nervous system processes causes pain and discomfort in the legs. As a result, a malfunction occurs in the circulatory system, causing wounds that heal very slowly.
A decrease in regenerative processes in the body of a person with diabetes is caused by a frequent lack of normal blood flow to the legs and other parts of the body.
Another cause of leg pain and slow wound healing is damage to a large number of blood vessels located on the legs. Arteries, in which the blood flow is no longer stable and constant, also contribute to increased pain symptoms. The body's inability to heal quickly causes a person to experience painful discomfort for much longer than usual.
If less blood flows to the legs, it means that the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide has also decreased. This is the main reason that causes a decrease in the level of regenerative processes.
How to recognize diabetes mellitus by pain in the legs?
It is necessary to carefully monitor the cause of its occurrence and the factors that could provoke pain. Also, the systematic repetition of pain in approximately equal time intervals should be taken into account.
Signs of diabetes mellitus that may be associated with pain in the lower extremities include :
Also, there may be a lack of knee reflexes, and the degree of sensitivity to pain may decrease. A clear sign of diabetes mellitus in the presence of even some of the above may be swelling of the legs.
In this case, painful sensations and a clear feeling of discomfort can be felt not only during the day, but also at night. While walking, the pain intensifies slightly and does not leave the patient even during rest.
One of the irritant symptoms of diabetes mellitus is diseases of the lower extremities. The feet are most often affected.
The so-called diabetic foot symptom is one of the most common complications of diabetes. The accelerated progression of the disease is caused by disruption of vascular nutrition and failure of various impulses of the autonomic nervous system. The innervation of the tissue of the foot, fingers and joints is also disrupted. All of the above factors provoke the occurrence of trophic ulcers, gangrene of the fingers and tissue of the foot. Since the wounds themselves will bleed for a long time, grow and heal very slowly, there is a need for surgical intervention. Sometimes complications can be so serious that death is possible - amputation of the leg.
In order to avoid such dire predictions, you must always be extremely careful and try to pay attention to even slight similarities with possible signs of not only diabetes, but also its complications. For example, at the initial stage there may be a feeling of discomfort due to unusual numbness in the legs. A decrease in pain and tactile sensitivity, tendon reflexes of the ankle joints also does not bode well. External lesions of the skin of the lower extremities may also be clearly visible. The skin on the foot becomes thinner and more vulnerable. Dry epithelium contributes to rapid damage by fungal, viral and infectious diseases. Small wounds and ulcers can appear not only on the foot, but also on other parts of the legs. Over time, the wounds may worsen and will not heal, causing increased pain. Various cracks and small wounds can form even between the toes, and not just on the heels.
Timely contact with a professional medical specialist will help prevent the development of complications , speeding up the process of rehabilitation and recovery.
Often in diabetics, pain in the legs can intensify at night . Symptom relief may occur if you try to lower your legs when getting out of bed. Disturbances in the stable functioning of nerves and emerging pathologies of the nervous system can even cause a change in the normal gait that was characteristic of the patient before he became ill or his condition worsened.
The muscular system of the legs may also weaken. That is why the patient does not feel the load on his legs so well. Irrational distribution of weight on the feet causes “pressure spots.” In such places, as a rule, calluses with a thick layer of dead epithelium form. These areas of the skin are the most vulnerable. When injured and infected, a small wound can gradually turn into an ulcer. And since the general metabolism is already impaired, the ulcers heal very poorly. Local trophic disorders may also be the cause. The affected tissue gradually becomes dead and gangrene appears. First it affects the fingers, then the foot.
In order to avoid terrible complications, it is necessary to constantly monitor blood sugar levels, doing everything possible to normalize it and promptly treat it.
Why does it happen that leg disease is added to all other complications?
Everyone is to blame for the same failure of blood sugar levels and its inadequate circulation throughout the body. Large amounts of sugar are toxic and harmful to the body. So ordinary glucose becomes a poison, and not an elixir that helps improve vital processes. The trace element that usually gives strength to the body now takes it away. After all, the pain and constant struggle not only with the disease, but also with its complications is extremely debilitating. It completely absorbs a person, depriving him of the opportunity to live fully and relaxed. Now the patient is dependent on many things that allow him to somehow endure unbearable torment and coexist with the illness.
Elevated blood sugar levels in diabetics provoke the occurrence of pathologies, changing the structure of the nerves and vascular system of the entire body. Since the legs are not close to the heart, most complications are associated with them. First of all, the feet suffer due to impaired blood flow and heavy physical activity. An increased concentration of a glycosylation substance destroys the myelin sheath of the nerves that are located in the legs. As a result, the number of nerve impulses is significantly reduced, gradually being reduced to a minimum. Another consequence is the narrowing of the lumens of the capillaries and elements of the small vascular system. Blockage of the tubules does not in any way contribute to a speedy recovery, but it does contribute to the deterioration of the condition or the occurrence of complications. After all, the vessels are very fragile.
Leg diseases in people with diabetes may be associated with neurological and microcirculatory disorders. Such complications may well cause disruption of tissue nutrition.
The negative impact of a high concentration of sugar in the blood affects not only the well-being of a patient with diabetes and his internal sensations, but also clearly visible damage to the skin on the legs. Under the influence of toxins, small blood vessels are destroyed, thereby increasing the penetration of the skin and its further destruction. The circulatory process deteriorates throughout the body, but blood circulates especially poorly in the legs. Consequently, the blood vessels and skin no longer receive the amount of nutrients and oxygen necessary for normal functioning. All of the above factors not only cause wounds, spots, swelling and cracks on the legs, but they also cause poor healing.
So, if you do not consult a specialist in time and do not undergo examination in a clinic, then the condition of even the most seemingly insignificant wounds may worsen. Gradually it is possible to transform into harmful ulcers.
One example of a dangerous complication of diabetes mellitus can be a trophic ulcer. The affected walls of blood vessels burst, and the nerve endings are damaged. There is a disruption of metabolic processes in the tissue that covers the legs. The lack of nutrients and oxygen does not allow the opened ulcers to heal, worsening the patient’s condition. A terrible, large and painful ulcer can easily transform from a small crack, burn or abrasion. Even minor damage to the epithelium during a seemingly normal and safe pedicure procedure can cause small wounds to transform into large and bleeding ulcers.
Red spots are the first sign of a trophic ulcer. The patient's legs constantly itch in the affected areas, and there is a feeling of discomfort and fatigue. A strong burning sensation is noticeable due to pain and irritant reactions of damaged tissue areas. The bad news is that any such ulcer can lead to gangrene, as it can deepen and expand to any size.
Another factor that causes complications and deterioration of the patient’s condition is diabetic neuropathy.
This is all due to disruption of blood circulation processes. Blood flow to the legs becomes slower. The cells, tissues and blood vessels of the lower extremities no longer receive oxygen and microelements in the required quantities. Also, the legs bear the most load, which the patient is no longer able to distribute correctly and evenly. Muscular insensibility also affects.
Stagnation of venous blood can be the reason why legs swell in diabetes mellitus. Edema is a sign of diabetic angiopathy (complications affect the small vascular system of the lower extremities). In this case, urgent prevention and treatment of trophic disorder is necessary.
Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism and increased concentrations of glucose in the blood contribute to the gradual disruption of the natural processes of removing toxins. The walls of blood vessels become weaker and less resilient. Therefore, the removal of toxins from the patient’s body is carried out much more slowly. Also, disruption of natural metabolic processes can cause itchy feet in a diabetic patient.
Another dangerous complication of diabetes can be acanthokeratoderma. This is the very disease that causes blackening on the legs. A serious degree of skin disease is characterized by obvious external signs: the skin on the legs thickens and darkens. Typically, the blackening process begins in places where skin folds form.
Diabetics also experience a rash. Sometimes reddened areas of the skin and rashes can be accompanied by very severe itching. In order to eliminate it, it is necessary to normalize the amount of sugar in the patient’s blood as soon as possible.
A decrease in the level of perceptibility of pain symptoms in the legs can provoke the development of ulcers. To cure them, it is strictly not recommended to use self-medication. It is extremely important to consult a professional doctor in a timely manner. After all, in this matter, every day matters! High concentrations of glucose in the blood make sugar toxic to the body. Therefore, with self-medication, even the smallest and most inconspicuous ulcer can very quickly turn into a large ulcer, and very painful.
The following steps will help treat pain symptoms:
If you experience leg pain, numbness or discomfort in your legs, consult a doctor immediately. After all, if the symptoms are ignored, complications will not keep you waiting. But it is very difficult to get rid of them. In addition, the consequences of such complications can often be very dire and irrevocable.
Diabetes mellitus is a polysymptomatic pathology. The disease is accompanied by damage to blood vessels. Fluid from damaged vascular walls leaks into the intercellular space, causing swelling in the legs. When blood flow is disrupted, tissues do not receive enough nutrition, which leads to their death. Tissue necrosis and swelling are the main causes of pain in the legs. If your legs hurt due to diabetes, their treatment is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who do not pay proper attention to their feet develop serious complications. Thin skin, deprived of sufficient nutrients, is easily injured. Long-healing wounds appear on it, developing into intractable ulcers. In severe cases, diabetic foot develops, leading to gangrene followed by amputation of the leg.
There are many reasons for swollen feet in diabetes. Most often, swelling occurs against the background of:
The swollen leg is increased in size. After pressing on the swelling with your finger, a dent remains on the skin. With the development of edema, accompanying signs appear:
For most patients, leg swelling does not cause much discomfort. But if left untreated, complications develop. Pain and burning appear in the limbs. The skin becomes thinner, becomes dry, brittle, and easily injured. Wounds that heal slowly become infected.
Blood clots form in the deep veins of the extremities. Thrombosis is a serious complication, recognized by the following symptoms:
In case of thrombosis, massage is prohibited . The rupture of a blood clot leads to a life-threatening condition. Pulmonary embolism develops - a pathology that can result in death.
In diabetes, swelling in the legs does not go away on its own. They must be treated according to a regimen drawn up by a doctor. How to treat legs with diabetes mellitus is influenced by the causes of swelling, the severity of the disease, and the occurrence of complications.
To get rid of edema, establish a drinking regime that normalizes water-salt metabolism, and also provide dosed physical activity. Therapeutic exercises improve blood circulation and restore tissue nutrition.
To eliminate swelling and pain in the legs with diabetes, use:
All medications are prescribed to the patient by the doctor. Self-medication for diabetes is strictly prohibited!
Amputation of the limbs is done when diabetic foot occurs, when extensive foci of infection and tissue necrosis appear on the legs, which cannot be treated conservatively.
To prevent swelling and pain in the legs of people with diabetes, they are advised to pay attention to preventive measures. Patients should:
To keep your feet healthy if you have diabetes, you need to constantly monitor your sugar levels and strictly follow your diet.
Sore legs with diabetes are treated comprehensively. In addition to drug therapy, folk remedies can be used. If your legs hurt due to diabetes, the goal of treatment is to improve peripheral circulation, reduce sugar, and increase urination.
Plants with a diuretic effect relieve swelling. Patients are recommended to include in their diet foods that have a diuretic effect: garlic, onions, celery, parsley, kefir, watermelon, pumpkin .
For treatment use:
If you have diabetes, it is important to maintain your sugar concentration at an optimal level. To reduce glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus, the following is used:
It is useless to use sugar-lowering herbs for type 1 diabetes.
Local treatment of feet for diabetes mellitus is carried out using various herbal preparations:
Proper foot care for diabetes helps relieve pain, swelling, and prevents the progression of the disease and the development of complications. People involved in the treatment of complex pathologies experience minimal discomfort and lead long, fulfilling lives.
It is no secret for all patients with diabetes that if they do not apply adequate and correct treatment and follow all instructions, they will never encounter severe forms of complications that develop against the background of diabetes.
The big problem is that almost every second patient believes that he will be spared problems with heart and vascular diseases, and kidney problems. Unfortunately, diabetes is often unpredictable and only with the help of full examinations, laboratory tests and careful self-monitoring, it is possible to identify emerging complications in time and prevent their development, and over time, completely get rid of them.
One of the most difficult complications that develops against the background of diabetes mellitus is problems with the legs, which, if not treated correctly, lead to amputation of the limbs.
The main cause of pain in the legs is diabetes, which makes it possible to develop such a complication. The older a person with diabetes, the higher the risk of developing leg problems, which in the future cause a lot of trouble for both doctors and patients themselves.
Against the background of diabetes, atherosclerosis develops, which narrows the blood vessels and they cannot normally deliver blood to the lower extremities. As a result, the leg tissues do not receive the required amount of blood and oxygen and send pain signals that begin to greatly torment the diabetic patient.
If an operation is performed in time to restore the correct flow of blood flow in the arteries, this will help get rid of the further development of complications.
As diabetes progresses, leg pain can occur due to two scenarios:
In the first scenario, when the patient has lost sensitivity and cannot feel pain, heat or cold, if he accidentally injures his leg, he does not pay attention to it, because doesn't feel anything. A small wound on the foot can lead to ulcers that do not heal for a long time.
The manifestation of swelling of the lower extremities in diabetes may appear as a result of nephrotic syndrome, against the background of which regular swelling begins. Atherosclerosis, which clogs the walls of blood vessels and prevents normal blood circulation, can also be the impetus for swelling of the legs.
In this case, it is recommended that careful adherence to the diet, physical activity determined by the doctor, which will help stabilize the condition, and treatment aimed at ridding the patient of the cause of edema - atherosclerosis or nephrotic syndrome.
Leg ulcers in diabetes mellitus develop for several reasons:
In many cases, the active development of trophic ulcers against the background of diabetes mellitus is facilitated by:
The immediate precursors to the appearance of an ulcer are:
Signs of ulcers and stages of their development
A diabetic patient must carefully and closely monitor not only the level of sugar in the blood, but also the condition of the entire body and the upper skin. As we have already noted, complications noticed in time can be stopped at the very beginning and even bigger problems can be avoided.
In diabetes, an ulcer does not appear immediately, but as a result of long-standing complications in the body, which may appear after several years.
Here is detailed information about gangrene of the lower extremities in diabetics.
Trophic ulcers, according to the stages of their development, can be divided:
1. Previous stage of ulcer manifestation:
2. Expanded manifestations:
3. Progressive stage of ulcer:
Treatment of ulcers in diabetes mellitus
Average statistical data from diabetologists indicate that more than 80% of patients with diabetes seek help with complications too late, when it is necessary to apply intensive treatment of ulcers, which does not always give the expected results.
All methods of treating ulcers can be divided into conservative, aimed at eliminating the cause of the ulcer, and surgical, a radical method used as the main or additional one.
The conservative method is used only with a doctor’s prescription and under his strict supervision; all contraindications and features of the course of diabetes mellitus are taken into account.
Program for conservative treatment of ulcers in diabetes mellitus:
Surgical program for the treatment of ulcers in diabetes mellitus:
If the treatment does not produce the expected results, then the scope of surgical treatment increases, up to and including amputation of the limbs.
Complications from ulcers in diabetes mellitus:
Depending on the severity of the disease, three directions developed by modern medicine can be used for treatment:
After trophic ulcers that develop against the background of diabetes mellitus, the second serious disease that occurs with diabetes is diabetic foot, in which pathological changes occur on the patient’s foot. The result of neglect and lack of treatment is amputation of a limb at any level.
This complication occurs in 90% of patients with diabetes who did not notice the initial signs of the development of the disease - pain in the legs, swelling.
Causes of diabetic foot syndrome
The development of a diabetic foot is a rather complex mechanism, which involves various processes of the body against the background of diabetes mellitus.
Long-term diabetes and regular surges in sugar levels lead to gradual destruction of blood vessels in all tissues of the body. It all starts with damage to small capillaries, and leads to global destruction of blood vessels, impaired circulation, death of nerve endings, failure of metabolic processes and skin damage.
When the skin is injured in a healthy person, the healing process occurs quite quickly, but in diabetes, when the movement of blood through the vessels is completely disrupted, minor injuries lead to serious consequences - ulcers, diabetic foot, and purulent processes are added.
Signs of diabetic foot
Symptoms of the disease may differ slightly depending on what form of the disease is already present:
Treatment of diabetic foot
Today there are two methods of treating this disease - conservative and surgical.
Conservative treatment method:
Surgical treatment of diabetic foot:
All developed programs and methods for treating leg pain will be ineffective if a patient with diabetes mellitus does not take independent steps to alleviate his condition.
Many doctors say that if all those suffering from diabetes noticed the beginning complications in time, many problems could be avoided with little blood.
For example, when a patient begins to feel even slight numbness in the lower extremities, increased leg fatigue and swelling, he should immediately consult a doctor and use home therapy, which consists of foot massage, an active lifestyle and physical therapy exercises. These methods will help restore blood circulation, improve the condition of blood vessels and get rid of pain.
Before starting moderate physical activity and using massage, you should consult a doctor who will develop an individual treatment program according to the characteristics of diabetes mellitus and the properties of your body.
And even if a patient with diabetes does not see any signs of complications, does not feel pain in the legs, there is no need to relax - take preventive measures to prevent the development of problems with the legs.