YOUR HEALTH with Dr . Thakkar
YOUR HEALTH with Dr . Thakkar
DON ’ T TRIP OVER YOUR FEET
Diabetes and diabetic foot disease is a common and potentially devastating problem . Furthermore , a huge number of people are diabetic but don ’ t realise it , which is why the NHS health check programme is so important .
So , what are the complications of diabetes ? They can be broadly split into two types , microvascular and macrovascular .
Microvascular complications include eye disease , kidney disease and nerve damage . Nerve damage is particularly relevant to the diabetic foot . Remember what it ’ s like to have a stone in your shoe ? If you can ’ t feel that stone , as you walk it will damage and eventually break through the skin , creating an ulcer . Even a small wound can develop into an ulcer . The ulcer may get infected . Eventually the infection may penetrate in to the bone which is a nightmare to treat . Nerve damage , which is common in diabetes , can also cause deformity of the bone , known as Charcot ’ s foot .
Macrovascular disease causes furring up of the arteries , stroke , heart disease and poor blood supply to the limbs . Without a good blood supply , the foot is prone to gangrene and infection .
The presence of micro or macrovascular disease puts the diabetic at significant risk of limb amputation and , unfortunately , this is all too common a scenario in Buckinghamshire .
How can you reduce the risk of foot complications and , in particular , infections and amputations ?
Prevention is essential , and that means weight control , exercise , good diet and avoiding smoking . The heavier you are , the more likely you are to develop diabetes and its complications . Exercise helps to reduce fat around the pancreas too . Smoking increases the risk of macrovascular disease .
Early diagnosis of any disease means it can be managed more effectively . Diabetes is no exception . Symptoms of diabetes include weight loss , fatigue , thirst and passing excessive amounts of urine . Many diabetics , however , have no symptoms , so if you ’ ve been invited for an NHS health check , please do attend .
Once you ’ ve been diagnosed with diabetes looking after your own health is absolutely critical . That means a low sugar diet , regular exercise , stopping smoking and controlling your weight . Taking your medication as prescribed is needed to control blood pressure , blood glucose and cholesterol . Checking your shoes for stones , attending regular diabetes clinic appointments and education sessions , and checking your feet for corns and calluses , wounds , grazes , cuts and infections are all required to reduce the risk of complications . This includes checking soles of your feet . For more information please see your doctor or see www . diabetes . co . uk / diabetes-footcare . html .
Like most of my articles , good care requires the people of Buckinghamshire to take part in improving the health of our county .
Dr . Thakkar is a GP at Pound House Surgery
Chiltern Clinical Commissioning Group
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