Diabetic Foot Care
What is it?
Diabetic foot is not a single condition but a range of complications that affect the feet of people with diabetes. Two processes drive these complications.
First, peripheral neuropathy nerve damage that reduces sensation in the feet. Because of this, small injuries such as a blister, a cut, or pressure from tight footwear go unnoticed. By the time a patient is aware of a wound, it may already be significantly advanced.
Second, peripheral artery disease the narrowing of blood vessels that reduces circulation to the foot. Without adequate blood flow, even a small wound cannot heal. Infection spreads faster, tissue breaks down, and in the most serious cases, amputation becomes necessary.
The combination of reduced sensation and reduced blood supply is what makes diabetic foot complications so serious and why specialist vascular involvement is important, not just general diabetic management.
Left untreated, varicose veins are a progressive condition. Over time they can cause persistent pain, swelling, skin changes, and in more advanced cases, open wounds called venous ulcers. They are a medical condition not merely a cosmetic concern.and minimally invasive intervention when needed — ensuring patients can return to their normal lives quickly with minimal discomfort.
Who is this for ?
Diabetic patients with any wound, sore, or break in the skin on the foot or lower leg
Patients who have been told they have peripheral neuropathy (numbness or tingling in the feet)
Those with a known history of peripheral artery disease alongside diabetes
Diabetic patients who have had a previous foot wound, ulcer, or amputation
Anyone with diabetes whose foot wound has not improved within two weeks of standard care
What happens During the Treatment ?
Assessment begins with a careful examination of the wound and the foot its size, depth, edges, and signs of infection alongside a full history of the patient’s diabetes and vascular background.
A Doppler ultrasound and Ankle-Brachial Index test assess the blood supply to the foot. This is essential: treating a wound without knowing whether blood is reaching it leads to poor outcomes.
If circulation is reduced, restoring blood flow is the priority which may involve an endovascular procedure to open the blocked artery. Once circulation is adequate, wound healing can proceed.
A structured follow-up plan, appropriate offloading of the foot, and patient education on daily foot checks are all part of the management process.
