What exactly is this horrific picture and why does it look like an acid has been poured on this person’s foot and such a hole has been made that one can see all the way down to the tissues inside a human body; so much so that if that if this hole was any bigger, one could possibly stick their finger in and feel the bones of the foot in that region…
This is a picture of a foot ulcer and this patient is a diabetic person who had unknowingly and unwillingly lost their sensation of the foot and did not maintain continuous checkup with their podiatrist, until they had noticed that their skin had split open and they should probably go get it checked out! Now when I say unknowingly is because people with diabetes have the highest chances of developing peripheral neuropathy, a condition which makes a person loose sensation in parts of their bodies such as the feet, which also happen to be amongst the first areas where this disease process usually manifests itself. So what happens is that without proper consultation or not following up or listening to what your physicians’ advice or recommendations, diabetic patients on a regular basis cannot gauge if they are acquiring neuropathy or if they even do have it! Some of the earlier signs are of pain, tingling, numbness and the later signs are that there is no sensation at all, whether it is pain, cold, heat, or even more importantly pressure. When the earlier signs are not noted of and taken into consideration, the later stages are sure to come, especially in diabetics and a foot ulcer is just around the corner.
So how are these ulcers forming on such a frequent basis in diabetics? Well for starters let me tell you that an ulcer does not always start of this big, however they can become quite large or even so problematic that at times a part of the foot if not all of it needs to be amputated. An ulcer can form due to many many reasons. One can split their skin which has been deprived of fresh oxygen and nutrient and possibly could be infectious and the dead tissue needs to be taken out before it keeps spreading all over the foot. This can start of really small but continue to keep spreading if visits are not persistent and maintenance of cleaning and taking out the dead tissue is not regular.
Sometimes a person can stub their toe or step on a nail or anything else for that matter and not feel it and continue their daily routines while the object is still inside their foot and this can start a local infection that can spread and turn into an ulcer and the end result can again be like the picture up top.
This brief yet scary view of a very serious disease process can be prevented and that is what I want the take home message to be, on top of the fear factor. It will never be emphasized highly enough to someone with diabetes how important it is to control and keep their blood sugar levels in control and to visit their podiatrist on a regular basis so your doctor can take necessary steps into making sure your feet can maintain proper functioning for as long as possible. Sometimes, sadly enough, especially with diabetics who have peripheral neuropathy and other serious medical conditions, ulcers and other complications are inevitable, however, with routine cleansing and protection from your podiatrist, these disease processes can be kept at a minimum which can make life a whole lot better for the patient in the long run.
And so, I will leave you with a quote that perhaps before this article might not have made much sense or would have even sounded as if this doctor was joking, but hopefully after reading this blog, this quote will shed new light and a new approach to looking at things....
“Pain is God’s greatest gift to mankind” – Paul Brand, MD
And so, I will leave you with a quote that perhaps before this article might not have made much sense or would have even sounded as if this doctor was joking, but hopefully after reading this blog, this quote will shed new light and a new approach to looking at things....
“Pain is God’s greatest gift to mankind” – Paul Brand, MD
