(MENAFNEditorial) Consultants at University Hospital Sharjah (UHS) are advising diabetic patients to take care their feet as they have a higher risk of developing foot diseases due to aging, obesity, nerve death and loss of feeling of in the feet. They added that the willful negligence of symptoms may cause calluses or non-healing ulcers which would probably require painful medical intervention including surgical amputation of a toe or foot.
Consultants stressed the importance of preventing dry cracked feet and to treat such symptoms immediately for diabetes patients. Early treatment helps control the damage and prevents serious complications. Doctors also warn against obesity which increases the chances of having cracked heels as there is more weight on the heel pad.
Speaking about diabetic foot related symptoms, Dr Toufik Tabbara, Head of the Department of General Surgery at UHS, said: "As for internal symptoms, patients often feel tingling, numbness and burning in the feet and an inability to wear shoes and socks, while external symptoms include dry and cracked feet, muscle atrophy, bone and joint deformity and a change in the shape of the feet."
Speaking about preventive measures, Dr Tabbara said: "Patients must wash their feet with soap and water daily to prevent dry and cracked feet and check their feet regularly to see if any signs appear. Smokers must quit smoking as it causes clogged arteries and calcification of the feet. Patients must avoid harmful movement, such as walking without shoes and cutting fingernail with straight edge fingernail clippers as this can cause ingrown nails which in turn lead cause ulcers. Patients should visit a doctor immediately in case of any foot problem."
Dr Toufik clarified that the UHS has dealt with and healed many advanced diabetic cases in short period of time, as the hospital has high tech specialised equipment and labs, the appropriate medicines and highly qualified and experienced medical teams. The UHS provides patients with the necessary treatment and tips on how to keep feet healthy and lead and safe and healthy life.
In the same regard, consultants at the UHS said that negligence is the leading cause of foot diseases as patients feel that the foot is of minor importance as the diabetes has affected more important organs such as the heart and kidneys. They regret that when foot disease makes them unable to move, aggravate their psychological distress and increase the impact of diabetes on their bodies and their lives.
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