Diabetic foot is a comprehensive medical term describing the range of problems affecting the foot as a result of long-term uncontrolled diabetes. It is not a single disease but a group of interrelated complications that make the foot vulnerable to injury, ulceration, and slow healing.
How Diabetic Foot Develops:
- Chronic high blood sugar: High glucose levels gradually destroy peripheral nerves (neuropathy) and small and large blood vessels.
- Loss of sensation: Neuropathy causes the patient to not feel small cuts, excessive pressure, or foreign objects in shoes.
- Poor circulation: Peripheral arterial disease reduces blood flow to the foot, slowing healing and weakening infection resistance.
- Weakened immunity: Diabetes impairs the immune system, making any small wound susceptible to contamination and serious infection.
- Foot deformities: Muscle weakness leads to changes in foot shape and new pressure points.
At BEIT TARIQ Center, we approach diabetic foot with a comprehensive strategy addressing all these factors together — from blood sugar control to specialized wound care and pressure offloading.