First of all, we must correct a misunderstanding, not that the feet of diabetics are called diabetic feet, but that there is a "disease" on the feet. The Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Foot defines diabetic foot as "the destruction of the skin and deep tissues of the ankle joint in patients with diabetes, often with infection and arterial occlusion of different degrees of lower extremities, and in severe cases involving muscle and bone tissue." In layman's terms, any kind of foot abnormality caused by high blood sugar, including neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, ulcers, or secondary infections, trauma, etc., belongs to the "diabetic foot".
These a series of lesions may lead to foot deformities, impaired sensory and motor functions, and even amputation in severe cases, which may lead to death.
Early neuropathy dulls the foot sensation, often resulting in patients failing to see a doctor in time and missing the first opportunity for treatment. We must fully understand the pathogenesis of diabetic foot in order to maintain sufficient vigilance against it in life and take corresponding preventive measures.
So, what are the main symptoms of diabetic foot?
The symptoms of diabetic foot are mainly manifested as:
1. Early stage of the disease: due to the lesions of peripheral nerves, patients can experience symptoms of sensory hypoesthesia starting from the extremities of the limbs; due to the lesions of peripheral blood vessels, patients can have symptoms of thin limb skin, loss of skin texture, and sparse hair;
2. Late stage of the disease: due to the blockage of blood vessels, causing ischemia at the extremities of the limbs, the symptoms of purple and blackened toes can occur; some patients will also have symptoms such as long-lasting ulcers and serious foot deformities.
If you have the above symptoms, please go to the hospital for treatment in time.
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