[Medical Q&A] Why should diabetic patients pay more attention to their feet?

Author: Cui Lei, Chief Physician, Beijing Century Altar Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Wu Xueyan, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

As we all know, the incidence of diabetic foot is very high for diabetic patients. Therefore, diabetic patients should pay more attention to their feet, minimize foot skin damage, prevent and promptly detect and treat diabetic foot.

When a diabetic patient has a wound on his foot, his mobility and walking functions will be restricted, thus affecting his normal work and social activities. As the wound gradually expands, a large amount of necrotic tissue in the wound will produce a large amount of toxins and bacteria, which in turn flow back into the blood. With the blood reaching important organs, such as the heart, kidneys, and even the brain, it will damage the important organs, which is called sepsis. The patient's heart function will be impaired or even coma, which is very harmful to the human body! As the entire foot becomes necrotic and the wound cannot heal, amputation may have to be performed, which will seriously affect the patient's quality of life and cause greater trauma to him.

Therefore, if the wounds of diabetic foot are not treated in time, it will cause great harm to the patient's life and health, and will also bring a heavier burden to the family.

Diabetic patients should pay attention to preventing local pressure and wounds. For example, when washing feet, use warm water instead of hot water; use a soft, absorbent towel to wipe feet; after washing and wiping feet, apply some skin care products to keep the skin moist and prevent small cracks on the feet from developing into wounds; socks should be soft enough; shoes should be wide, comfortable, non-pressurizing, and breathable; avoid using irritating soaps to wash feet or take a bath.