Caring for your lower limbs, including your feet, is very important when you suffer from diabetes. The condition increases your risk of amputation of the lower limbs for several reasons, most of which you can work to prevent. Physicians will first try to cure an infection or repair damaged tissue, but, sometimes, an amputation is necessary. Use preventative measures to decrease your risk of suffering from an amputation of a toe, foot or leg.
Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy is the medical term used to describe nerve damage that occurs in the network of nerves that innervate your feet. According to the Mayo Clinic, the nerve damage that occurs with diabetes decreases your ability to feel pain or discomfort in your feet. In other words, if you develop a blister or cut on your foot, you may not feel it, leading to more serious complications. Your risk of developing diabetic neuropathy increases with age and poor glucose control.
Vascular Changes
The Federal Citizen Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado, explains that peripheral vascular disease is a condition common in people who suffer from diabetes. Blood vessels can narrow and reduce the blood supply to the feet and legs. This combination of reduced blood flow, reduced oxygen supply and reduced pain sensation can increase the probability of infection, tissue damage and amputation.
Infection
Cuts, blisters or ulcers that develop on your feet can lead to infection. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons says that the combination of poor circulation, decreased oxygen and nutrients, and neuropathy can lead any cuts or blisters to produce ulcers that go all the way to the bone. These ulcers destroy the body's first line of defense against infection, the skin. Open areas give bacteria and fungus an opportunity to multiply within the body tissues. This complication can lead to the loss of your foot, leg or, even, your life.
Nail Disorders and Foot Deformities
Problems with toenails, such as ingrown nails, can lead to a breach in skin integrity. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons warns that ingrown nails and fungal infections can go unnoticed because of the lack of feeling in the feet. When ingrown nails and fungal infections are not treated appropriately, they can lead to ulcerations and infections. Foot deformities, such as hammertoes and bunions, can have the same effect. Shoes that do not fit will cause the foot to rub against the shoe and cause ulcerations, leading to infection, which can eventually lead to amputation.
