Diabetic Foot Infections Health Article

Definition

Dhiabetic foot infections are infections that can develop in the skin, muscles, or bones of the foot as a result of the nerve damage and poor circulation that is associated with diabetes.

Description

People who have diabetes have a greater-than-average chance of developing foot infections. Because a person who has diabetes may not feel foot pain or discomfort, problems can remain undetected until fever, weakness, or other signs of systemic infection appear. As a result, even minor irritations occur more often, heal more slowly, and are more likely to result in serious health problems.

With diabetes, foot infections occur more frequently because the disease causes nervous system changes and poor circulation. Because the nerves that control sweating no longer work, the skin of the feet can become very dry and cracked, and calluses tend to occur more frequently and build up faster. If not trimmed regularly, these calluses can turn into open sores or ulcers. Because diabetic nerve damage can cause a loss of sensation (neuropathy), if the feet are not regularly inspected, an ulcer can quickly become infected and, if not treated, may result in the death of tissue (gangrene) or amputation.

The risk of infection is greatest for people who are over the age of 60 and for those who have one or more of the following:

• poorly controlled diabetes
• foot ulcers
• laser treatment for changes in the retina
• kidney or vascular disease
• loss of sensation (neuropathy)

Causes and symptoms

Bacteria can cause an infection through small cracks (fissures) that can develop in the dry skin around the heel and on other parts of the foot or through corns, calluses, blisters, hangnails, or ulcers. If not treated, the bacterial infection can destroy skin, tissue, and bone or spread throughout the body.

Common sites of diabetic foot infections include the following:

• blisters, corns, or callouses that bleed beneath the skin
• bunions, hammertoes, or other abnormalities in the bones of the foot

• scar tissue that has grown over the site of an earlier infection
• foot ulcers caused by pressure, nerve damage, or poor circulation (Ulcers occur most often over the ball of the foot, on the bottom of the big toe, or on the sides of the foot due to poorly fitting shoes.)
• injuries that tear or puncture the skin.