Diabetes, often commonly referred as a condition where the blood sugar or glucose levels are on a spike has been a major culprit for inducing a whole lot of complications over the years. Diabetes if not cared for or prevented along may result in mammoth complications like kidney issues, eye issues, heart disorders and more.

But the trend just doesn’t stop there. In severe cases, diabetes often results in damaging the body where amputation remains the only viable option. We here would be dealing with diabetes and its relation to amputation as part of our series of diabetes.

We’ll further look into the causes, symptoms and risk factors for amputation and reckon on with the proper advice to help you out. Read along as we present the ‘Diabetes and Amputation: Causes, Symptoms and Risk Factors’.

What’s Amputation?

Amputation is the process of removing a limb from the body via surgical measures so as to battle the trauma or medical illness. In many of cases, these limbs are removed to help control the pain preceding as a result of a disease like malignancy or gangrene.

Amputation has been part of the medical procedure for many centuries and has been a major treatment policy against the limb related problems. As for the minute details, amputation was even practiced as a means of punishment back in the days, but that’s not something we’d be touching on in this segment.

Types of Amputation

There are two general classifications of amputation as major and minor ones. These types of amputations are not just limited to diabetic cases but include the whole of amputation cases around. We’ll look to list them out with their brief instruction for you-

a) Minor Amputation

• Minor Amputation is the condition where only toes or feet are removed as part of the amputation’s surgical procedure.

b) Major Amputation

• Major Amputation refers to the condition where the surgical procedure removes above or below part of the knee.

How Diabetes and Amputation are related?

Diabetes, as we all know about, is a blood-related disorder where the glucose levels tend to shoot upwards than the normal range. That, in turn, creates other imbalances in the body which tend to affects the health of the patient.

Diabetes is known to cause loss of feeling in the foot region for many while peripheral vascular disease where blood circulation is pretty poor is also common. Many further show the signs of foot deformities too along the line.

As per the revealing stats, diabetes has been a major reason for amputations around the world. In fact, patients with diabetes are 15 times more likely to be at the risk of amputation. Diabetes has been a major reason for the lower limb amputation throughout the globe.

Digging deep, many hospitalized cases for diabetic patients see the foot related issues as the most frequent reason.

Causes of Amputation/Factors leading to Amputation

Amputation is generally preceded by ulceration and non-healing wounds. These further tend to lead to amputation if not cared for in time. As for the ulceration and more, there are quite a few factors that induce it in diabetes. We’ll look to list them down for you.

• Neuropathy or nerve related issues.
• Blood circulation problems in the limbs.
• Foot ulcers
• Charcot foot
• Other issues regarding foot like damages and more.

When to Visit the Doctors

If your foot tends to develop any of the below-mentioned problems, it better to check it out with the doctor. That shall help you with treating it better than most. Here are a few foot related problems that should not be avoided at all-

• Fungal related issues like athlete’s foot
• Gangrene
• Ingrown toenails
• Corns and Splinters
• Bunions and Hammertoes
• Dry skin
• Development of Gout
• Heel pain or scars
• Warts

How to assess the risk factors leading to diabetes?

As perceived, often lower limb issues are the foremost in cases of diabetic patients. A diabetic patient tends to suffer from complication in their lower limb or foot as with the age. Many elderly people show signs of diabetic foot related complications.

Amputations as such tend to increase with the increase in complications of the foot issues. People with the age over the bar of 75 years are at major risk for such cases. However, it’s isn’t all dull and gloomy.

A regular clinical examination will help in minimizing the risk for ulceration and foot related issues. Always be informed about your foot and tend it with utmost care.

The Prevention Module for Amputation

Amputation and a whole lot of diabetic complications can be managed and prevented along with a few essential health and lifestyle changes. As is the case with diabetic patients, keeping the blood sugar levels in check will work wonders too.

Nevertheless, here’s a list of several other ways as to how you can prevent it-

• Always have a healthy diet regime with enough fibers, whole grains, fruits, veggies and more.
• Stay away from the sugar-based beverages and drinks.
• Include appropriate exercise in your daily routine.
• Keep the body weight and sugar levels in check all the time.
• Lead a stress-free life.
• Never skip your insulin and medications as prescribed by the doctors.

How to Care for your foot?

A proper care regime for your foot will help you keep off the signs for issues like poor circulation, loss of feeling, development of ulcers and more. We’ll further list out some of the things you can do to care for your feet down below-

• Inspect your feet on a daily basis and look for the uneven signs like wounds, redness, blisters and more.
• Check the sensation and feel of the feet with either an object or by touching it gently.
• Look for the reaction of your feet against the cold and warm temperatures.
• Always wear clean and dry socks to help aerate it appropriately.
• Keep your feet clean at all times.
• You can indulge in a little feet exercise like wiggling your toes to let the blood circulate nicely.

The Bottom Line

Diabetes is a quite a major disease that bring a whole lot of baggage with it. Many don’t feel the need for proper care in during this period and bluff their case as under control. However, if the case isn’t under control and the body shows signs of disintegrated blood sugar levels, then you may be at a risk for many things, amputation being one of them.

We strongly advise to seek medical advice and guide at timely intervals and lead a healthy lifestyle. Also, do keep your routine to check your feet on a daily basis. That way you’ll know of any changes and signs quick enough.

That’s all from us on this one. We’ll be back with another one the next time around. Stay Tuned. Adios.