Signos y síntomas de las úlceras del pie diabético

by Baylor Scott & White Health

junio21,2022

Foot wounds are painful and usually stop a person in their tracks. However, in the setting of Diabetes, people can go days or even weeks without noticing a serious problem with their feet.

There are a lot of reasons why people end up neglecting their feet. You may be getting older and less flexible, or your belly is getting larger. The biggest risk comes when you lose sensation in your foot, a condition known as neuropathy, which is common in diabetics. In that case, a wound may go unnoticed until it becomes very deep or even infected. That can lead to serious health risks.

“Visually inspecting the feet is crucial,” said Andrew Bruyn, DPM, a podiatrist on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Buda. “So it’s important to know the signs of foot ulcers if you or a member of your family has type 2 diabetes.”

¿Qué es una úlcera de pie diabético?

An ulcer is a chronic wound that stays open. Diabetic foot ulcers are common and serious complications of diabetes. If they’re not recognized and treated promptly, said Dr. Bruyn, they increase the risk of:

Infección
Hospitalización
Amputación
Muerte

Algunas úlceras pueden ser difíciles de curar, mientras que otras simplemente requieren un tratamiento menor y ajustes en el calzado.

“The best thing we can do for an ulcer is detect it early, hopefully while it is still a callus or blister,” Dr. Bruyn said. “If an ulcer reaches the level of bone, then treatment usually involves some form of procedure to remove the devitalized tissue or infection.”

Prevenir que las úlceras comiencen o tratarlas de inmediato es fundamental para evitar problemas mayores.

“Si el pie se infecta, a menudo se requiere la amputación de los dedos o parte del pie para permitir que el resto del pie sane”, dijo el Dr. Bruyn. “La amputación parcial o de un dedo del pie aumenta el riesgo de heridas en los pies adyacentes y la tasa de mortalidad general para un paciente con una úlcera del pie diabético es en realidad peor que algunos tipos de cáncer”.

Foot ulcers are just one of the potential complications of living with diabetes. Click here to find out the rest.