Causes of diabetic foot

Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
Updated on September 21, 2024
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The main causes of diabetic foot are as follows: The first one is poor blood sugar control in patients. Some patients have long neglected their blood sugar levels, leading to consistently high levels. The second cause is vascular disease in the lower limbs of the patient, including arteriosclerosis, with severe cases leading to occlusion and subsequent ulceration of the feet. The third reason is the presence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients, which results in abnormal sensations or numbness in the feet. Many patients wearing new shoes or stepping on sharp objects inadvertently can lead to diabetic foot. The fourth cause is infection induced by patients who initially neglect minor foot injuries, or who improperly manage such injuries at home, leading to the development of diabetic foot. Therefore, we advise diabetics to maintain good control of their blood sugar and take timely measures to prevent diabetic foot.

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Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes

The symptoms of gestational diabetes differ from those of non-pregnancy diabetes; non-pregnancy diabetes is mainly characterized by excessive drinking, eating, urination, and weight loss. During pregnancy, excessive drinking and eating may be physiological responses due to increased appetite, and frequent urination may be caused by the enlarged uterus pressing on the bladder during early pregnancy. Weight loss is generally not apparent in gestational diabetes due to the growth of the fetus, the uterus, and the increase in amniotic fluid. For women who had a higher body mass index before pregnancy and a family history of diabetes, it is recommended to start glucose tolerance screening from the time of planning to conceive. For those who gain weight rapidly after becoming pregnant and have a significant increase in amniotic fluid, we typically conduct routine diabetes screening between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes has severe impacts on the pregnant woman, the fetus, and the newborn, thus early detection and treatment are advised.

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Early symptoms of type 2 diabetes

The typical symptoms of type 2 diabetes are referred to as "three excesses and one deficiency." The three excesses include excessive thirst and dry mouth, increased appetite with frequent hunger, and increased urination. The one deficiency refers to weight loss; these are the more typical symptoms. Some patients might often find out about their elevated blood sugar during routine health checks at work. Others may seek medical advice due to issues like skin itchiness or wounds that heal poorly after injury. Some might mainly experience numbness in their hands and feet, or blurred vision among other symptoms.

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Early symptoms of diabetes in men

Symptoms of diabetes in men in the early stages first require distinguishing by gender. Diabetes can be characterized by "three excesses and one deficiency": excessive drinking, excessive eating, excessive urination, and weight loss, which are typical symptoms. Of course, many patients, such as those in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, may have atypical symptoms such as itchy skin, blurred vision, and foamy urine which appears more foamy. There might also be dental cavities characterized by severe decay, or some men might experience sexual dysfunction. These symptoms may be related to diabetes, and if these symptoms appear, it is important to consider checking blood sugar levels to confirm the presence of diabetes.

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Causes of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes refers to the abnormality of blood sugar levels that occurs during pregnancy, at which time it is called gestational diabetes. The reason for the occurrence of gestational diabetes is due to significant changes in the body's endocrine hormones after pregnancy. The body releases many hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, which can increase insulin resistance. Thus, a much greater amount of insulin is needed to maintain normal blood sugar levels. If the pancreatic beta cells are not sufficient to compensate for the increased insulin secretion needed to meet the normal metabolic requirements caused by these resistance factors, then elevated blood sugar and abnormal glucose metabolism occur, ultimately leading to gestational diabetes.

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What should diabetics pay attention to in their diet?

There is a general principle for the diet of diabetes, which is to pay attention to controlling the total daily caloric intake. The second principle is to have a balanced diet, and to be more specific, there are several points: The first one is to eat at fixed times and fixed amounts. Fixed times means having three meals a day at regular intervals, eating on schedule and paying attention not to have extra meals. Generally, the majority of diabetic patients should not eat less in more meals. Fixed amounts mean that the portion size of each meal should be roughly the same every day, not less today and more tomorrow. The third principle is to try to eat drier foods and avoid liquid foods, as liquid foods are easy to digest and absorb, causing blood sugar to rise quickly after meals. Therefore, these are some of the points that need attention in the diet for diabetes.