Why do diabetic foot ulcers take longer to heal? The reasons behind the delayed healing of these ulcers are many. Diabetics possess a host of underlying problems that can immensely impact the curing of foot ulcers. In this guide, let’s discuss how increased blood sugar levels can slow down ulcer healing in the feet.
Top Reasons why diabetic foot ulcers take longer to heal
The reason for a diabetic’s foot ulcer taking a very long time to heal might be a single one, or a combination of causes. Some of the most common reasons for this situation are discussed below:
♦ High Blood Sugar Slows Down Healing
High glucose levels can easily damage blood vessels. This reduces the blood circulation to the feet. It indicates that the amount of nutrients and oxygen reaching the ulcer area in the feet becomes less. Thus, the tissues that need to heal don’t get enough resources for the repair of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).
♦ Poor Blood Flow to the Feet
When the blood circulation is normal, the proper removal of wastes and toxins from injured tissues takes place. However, when the blood flow to the feet decreases, the waste products and toxins get accumulated. This scenario interrupts the normal healing process. In such cases, diabetic foot ulcer treatment is required.
♦ Nerve Damage Makes Wounds Hard to Notice
Nerve damage or diabetic neuropathy can occur in people with diabetes. Such damaged nerves can impact or reduce the capability to feel any pain. Thus, a diabetic individual might not feel any pain even if they accidentally step on a sharp object. Since diabetic neuropathy can considerably reduce a patient’s ability to feel friction or pressure, they might not sense the ulcer that’s developing fast in their feet. This is why diabetic foot ulcers take longer to heal.
So, the patient might not even be aware of the ulcer in their feet until at later diabetic foot ulcer stages. This is how nerve damage makes wounds very hard to notice.
♦ Higher Risk of Infection in Diabetic Wounds
A high blood sugar level in the tissues indicates a rich food source for bacteria. This easily leads to infections. Also, diabetes keeps a wound open for longer periods. This offers bacteria more time to colonize!
♦ Weak Immune System in People with Diabetes
An increase in blood sugar brings down the effectiveness of white blood cell functions. These are the immune cells that safeguard the body from pathogens. However, with reduced effectiveness of the cells, the body finds it more challenging to fight off infections. This ultimately leads to diabetic foot ulcer complications in patients having high sugar levels.
♦ Constant Pressure on the Feet
Diabetic foot ulcers take longer to heal because constant pressure on the feet compresses the tiny blood vessels in the feet. Also, healing actually needs the formation of granulation tissue, skin cells and new blood vessels. However, continuous pressure on the feet inhibits the proper growth of tissues, thereby slowing down the closure of the foot ulcers.
♦ Small Cuts Turning Into Serious Ulcers
Because of reduced pain sensation and impaired blood flow to the feet, infections set in pretty quickly in individuals with diabetes. This delays the healing of even small cuts. Diabetic foot ulcer symptoms go unnoticed until later stages, which means tiny cuts or scrapes become bigger and transform into serious ulcers, before the patient becomes aware of their existence.
Using a topical wound spray like Cimidaxil D+ on small cuts can prevent them from turning into severe ulcers.
♦ Poor Foot Care Can Delay Healing
Lack of proper foot care or hygiene makes your feet a breeding ground for bacteria. They start multiplying and colonizing in the affected area, which considerably extends the healing period of ulcers. Thus, improper foot care makes diabetic foot ulcers take longer to heal.
Therefore, even if you are only in the early stage of diabetic foot ulcer, but fail to take care of your feet properly, healing gets delayed.
Conclusion:
For diabetic foot ulcers, proper treatment and maintenance of foot hygiene are essential. Using a specialized, Ayurvedic spray like Cimidaxil D+ can speed up the healing time of these ulcers.
The time taken for recovery largely depends on the severity of the wounds and type of treatment administered to them. Since Cimidaxil D+ is also a no-touch spray, it makes treating the ulcers less messy and painful. Thus, it’s an ideal solution for ulcer problems in the feet, especially among diabetics.
FAQs
1. Are diabetic foot ulcers always serious?
Diabetic foot ulcers are not too serious when you notice their symptoms at the early stages and treat them according to your doctor’s instructions. But they can turn serious if they are left untreated.
2. Why Do Wounds Heal Slowly in People with Diabetes?
In diabetics, high sugar levels affect the blood flow to the wound site, making wound healing slower.
3. Can controlling blood sugar improve ulcer healing?
Yes, definitely! When blood sugar level is under control, the blood flow to the ulcer site becomes much better, making healing faster.