Professor of surgery, consultant vascular surgery and the supervisor of the Sheikh Muhammad bin Hussein Al-Amoudi Chair for Diabetic Foot Research at King Abdulaziz University, Professor Hassan bin Ali Al-Zahrani, warned of neglecting the treatment of complications of diabetes, which has become a threat to the Saudi society and is a major challenge in the medical community as a result of the increasing number of patients with it . In his responses to readers ’questions on Okaz’s phone, he considered that the most important problems faced by doctors treating diabetic foot are what people pass on information that has no scientific basis, including the use of some popular prescriptions that lead to the deterioration of the patient’s condition, revealing that foot ulcers accounted for 90% of The causes of amputation of limbs in patients with diabetes, according to local medical studies, as neglecting this ulcer leads in the end to serious complications.
The following is the outcome of the most prominent contacts and the answers of Professor Al-Zahrani:
Gangrene and amputations
My diabetes made me fear, so does all "gangrene" end with amputation?
* Not necessarily, the problem may be limited to the loss of a small finger, or less than that, such as a small part of the skin that is healed automatically and does not affect the function of the foot, noting that foot ulcers accounted for 90% of the causes of limb amputations in diabetics, according to studies Local medical.
Driving
Can I drive a car with a sore foot, especially since I have a recent injury?
* The principle in this matter is to rest the foot and not pressure the site of the sore except when necessary, and accordingly, you can drive the car only when necessary and for short distances, while wearing medical shoes, and minimizing the use of the affected foot.
Foot ulcer
Soon I was exposed to a sore foot, and I work in an area other than my city, which requires a weekend commute via plane, are there any advice regarding my condition?
* The most important advice is to have the service required for foot care available to you, and it is preferable to postpone the leave for a month after healing if possible, and take the necessary materials to care for the ulcer, use the recommended shoes, and adhere to any other instructions, make sure that there are medical crutches during the trip, and a wheelchair for transportation At the airport, do not hesitate to cancel the flight if you feel that this will worsen the situation or lead to its deterioration again.
Sugar level
I feel relaxed when my sugar level is above 200 mg, does this hurt?
* High sugar, some patients may feel relief, and may even feel certain symptoms when it falls below that high limit, and this rise is harmful. Because high blood sugar causes long-term complications on the eyes, kidneys, heart, arteries, veins, and nerves, and may lead to a diabetic coma, so we advise the diabetic to keep his blood sugar level within normal limits, avoiding the extreme rise or fall in order to preserve His health.
Frequent
I have diabetes, and I often experience frequent low blood sugar, so how do I avoid it?
* The reason for the frequent decrease in sugar must first be known, if the reason is a lack of eating or a delay in meals, an increase in movement activity, or an increase in the amount of treatment, whether with tablets or insulin, or if a treatment was added that led to the effect on the sugar level If it increases the effectiveness of the current treatment, you should always consult your doctor.
Gangrene dilates
Tests confirmed my diabetes, and since that time I have been obsessed with gangrene, and I wonder: What is gangrene, and does it expand in the body?
* Gangrene weakness or interruption of blood supply to a part of the human body leads to death and decay of this part, and since we cannot revive the dead, the part that has died must be removed by surgical methods, and it often occurs in the tips of the fingers and the foot, and some believe that when removing or amputating Part of the foot, so gangrene moves and extends to other parts, and this is a misconception, as gangrene does not walk, rather what happens is an increase in tissue tissue due to the lack of blood reaching this part, so doctors are forced again to remove this part of the foot or limb, and it is possible to reduce From the occurrence of expansion in the tissues by improving the blood supply of the foot, by widening the arteries, or by implanting and connecting arteries to the affected part.
Avoid injury
I read a lot about diabetic foot, and since I am one of the "sweet" disease sufferers, how can I avoid it?
* The most important step to avoid diabetic foot is awareness that this problem may occur, and to take the necessary steps to prevent it, and the process of examining the feet permanently is one of the most important steps in this path, as the loss of sensation of all kinds in the foot is the most important factor for that, and it is also necessary From choosing the right shoes, and going to the specialist when any wound or redness occurs, even if it is slight.
Blood perfusion
Kindly inform me about how ischemic foot ulcer occurs?
* This ulcer occurs as a result of poor blood circulation, as the wounds do not heal quickly, and minor injuries or pressure can lead to the occurrence of ulcers in the foot, and it is called a foot ulcer resulting from lack of blood supply, and is characterized by the following: Sores occur at the tips of the fingers The feet or the soles of the foot or when the bony protrusions of the ankle joint, not in the pressure areas (soles and toes), the ulcers are usually painful (as a result of the presence of sensations), there are no dead skin growths around the sore, weakness or no pulse in the foot, the The foot is cold to the touch.
Popular recipes
There are some popular prescriptions used by diabetics in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, what do you think?
