Diabetic Foot Ulcers
- Sharon Parmet, MS, Writer;
- Tiffany J. Glass, MA, Illustrator;
- Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- DIABETIC FOOT
Diabetic foot ulcers are sores or wounds on the feet that occur in people with diabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are abnormally high. If a foot ulcer goes untreated and does not heal, it may become infected. Because this may result in the foot needing to be amputated, preventing ulcers is very important. The January 12, 2004, issue of JAMA includes an article about preventing diabetic foot ulcers.
WHAT CAUSES DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS?
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In people with diabetes, prolonged high blood sugar levels are linked with damage to the nerves in the feet. Nerve damage can cause loss of sensation as well as deformities of the feet. This nerve problem is called peripheral neuropathy.
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Foot problems such as calluses and hammertoes can cause high pressures on the soles of the feet.
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People can hurt their feet by repetitive minor trauma (such as prolonged walking) or a single major trauma (like scraping their …
