In this era of fast food, the pace of life is accelerating, and people's attention to health is increasing. But you know what? Some health alerts can go off quietly from the places you least notice. Like, your feet.
In today's chronic disease, diabetes is becoming more and more common, and blood sugar levels often directly affect the health of the feet. Those casual changes in your feet can be a sign that your blood sugar is high. Below, let's take a look at what can be seen from your feet when your blood sugar is high.
1. Diabetes and foot health: a link that cannot be ignored
Diabetes is not just about high blood sugar, it is a systemic disease that has more or less effects on all systems of the body. Especially for the feet, the impact is not small at all.
Because, long-term poor control of diabetes can lead to damage to blood vessels and nerves. The feet, as the "endings" of the human body, do not have as much blood flow as the heart or brain, and once affected by high blood sugar for a long time, problems such as poor blood circulation and decreased neurosensory sensation will follow.
2. List of foot changes: Beware of blood sugar "foot" traces
1. Numbness in your feet: This is probably the most overlooked symptom. Many people think that foot numbness may be caused by sitting and standing for a long time, where do they think that this may be a warning of high blood sugar?
But in fact, persistently high blood sugar can cause damage to peripheral nerves, and the first reaction is paresthesia in the feet, including numbness.
2. Foot color change: Normally, the color of the foot should be similar to the rest of the body. However, if you notice that your toes turn dark red, or even purple-black, you have to be careful. This color change often means that there is a problem with blood circulation in the feet, and high blood sugar is one of the main suspects.
3. Sores, redness, ulcers: Doesn't that sound scary? But it's a serious problem that can occur in the feet when your blood sugar is not well controlled.
In the state of high blood sugar, the wound healing ability of the foot is greatly reduced, and if you are not careful, you may form ulcers that are difficult to heal, and in severe cases, there is even a risk of infection.
These changes may not be noticeable in the early stages, but they are important signals when blood sugar is poorly controlled. The first step to avoiding foot problems is to spot these changes and take effective measures to control your blood sugar.
3. Dangerous consequences of ignoring glycemic control
In medical practice, cases of diabetic foot are common, and their severity should not be underestimated. For example, a study published in the journal Diabetes Care showed that about 10 to 15 percent of people with diabetes will experience at least one foot ulcer in their lifetime. These ulcers, if not treated properly, can lead to infection or even more serious consequences, including lower limb amputation.
Mr. Zhang, a 50-year-old diabetic patient, developed a foot infection due to long-term neglect of blood sugar control. Initially, there was only a slight redness and swelling of the toes, which he did not pay attention to, and over time, the condition gradually deteriorated, eventually leading to deep ulcers.
At the time of treatment, the doctor had to make the decision to amputate the limb because the infection was already more severe to avoid further spread of the infection. This case reminds us of the importance of timely blood sugar control and early recognition and treatment of foot changes.
4. Blood Sugar Control Strategies: A Key Step to Prevent Foot Problems
To avoid tragedies like Mr. Zhang's, we need to adopt effective blood sugar control strategies. Glycemic control not only reduces the risk of diabetic foot, but also significantly reduces the incidence of other complications. Specific measures include:
1. Monitor blood sugar regularly: Patients should follow their doctor's instructions and check their blood sugar levels regularly to ensure that they are within the normal range. Using a home blood glucose meter or regularly visiting a health care facility for blood glucose testing is the basis for blood sugar control.
2. Eat right: Controlling blood sugar is very dependent on eating right. Patients should limit their intake of high-sugar and high-fat foods and increase their intake of high-fiber foods such as whole grains and vegetables, which can help maintain blood sugar stability.
3. Moderate exercise: Proper physical activity can help improve insulin sensitivity and promote blood sugar utilization. Diabetic patients are advised to choose an exercise method that suits them under the guidance of a doctor, such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling.
4. Medications: For some patients, diet and exercise alone may not be enough to control blood sugar, and hypoglycemic drugs or insulin injections may be required.
5. Daily foot care: self-care for diabetics
For people with diabetes, maintaining healthy feet is key to preventing serious complications. Here are some effective foot health tips:
1. Check your feet regularly: Patients need to check their feet daily to look for scratches, redness, ulcers, or other signs of abnormality. This step is especially important because diabetes can cause decreased sensation in the feet, and some minor injuries may go unnoticed.
2. Keep your feet clean and dry: Wash your feet daily with warm water, but avoid soaking, and dry them thoroughly, especially between your toes. This can reduce the risk of infection.
3. Wear the right footwear: Choose comfortable, non-friction shoes and seamless socks to reduce the chance of pressure and wear on the feet, preventing blistering and wound formation.
4. Avoid walking barefoot: Even at home, you should wear shoes to protect your feet from injury.
6. Advanced treatment methods and technologies
With the advancement of medical technology, the treatment of diabetic foot has become more diverse and effective. Here are a few brief introductions to modern treatment techniques:
1. Negative pressure wound therapy: This is an innovative wound treatment that promotes wound healing by applying negative pressure to the wound and is suitable for certain types of diabetic foot ulcers.
2. Bioengineered skin and tissue engineering: These techniques increase the success rate of treatment by treating hard-to-heal wounds using skin obtained artificially or from other sources.
3. New strategies for the management of hyperglycemia: including the development of new insulin and other hypoglycemic drugs that can control blood glucose levels more effectively and reduce the risk of complications.
summary
Blood sugar control is essential for the prevention and management of diabetic foot. In addition to blood sugar control, daily foot care, proper diet and exercise habits, timely medical intervention, and the use of advanced treatment techniques are all key measures to prevent foot problems. Through comprehensive management, people with diabetes can significantly reduce their risk of foot complications and improve their quality of life.
Diabetics should visit their doctor regularly for foot check-ups and take appropriate precautions according to the doctor's recommendations. It is only through the joint efforts of patients, doctors and families that diabetes can be better managed and its complications prevented.