Reasons of ulcers | Symptoms | The cure | Local treatment | Summing up
A long course of a disease such as diabetes mellitus, or its poor compensation, leads to the development of various complications. This article will discuss the methods of treating trophic ulcers in diabetes and the prevention of their occurrence.
Why do ulcers appear?
The emergence of trophic ulcers in diabetes is possible due to circulatory disorders. After all, diabetes is a disease that affects both blood vessels and nerve endings.
Over time, the vessels become thinner, destroyed, which leads to the death of soft tissues, which leads to the appearance of trophic ulcers.
This process is also accompanied by:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- thrombophlebitis;
- varicose veins;
- excess weight;
- reduced immunity;
- and, of course, high sugar levels.
Most often, ulcers form on the legs and feet. These are shins, heels, toes. Callus formation becomes the main cause of ulceration. Hand ulcers are extremely rare. Most often, the formation of ulcers is susceptible to patients with type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms
The formation of trophic ulcers is accompanied by severe pain because the bleeding wounds begin to rot. It is also possible that a high temperature appears, which indicates an inflammatory process in the body. Possible swelling of the lower extremities, redness of the skin.
Therefore, it is very important to take proper care of your skin and treat skin infections in a timely manner.
Even the most common scratch, with diabetes mellitus, can cause a lot of trouble. After all, the process of tissue regeneration is very slow, and the wound can develop into an ulcer.
What’s the cure?
For the treatment of trophic ulcers, methods of traditional medicine are used. But remember that any attempts at self-treatment can only aggravate the situation and cause amputation.
Therefore, treatment must be carried out under the supervision of a qualified specialist.
Ulcer treatment is carried out in a comprehensive manner and includes:
- local antibacterial treatment;
- taking antibiotics and analgesics;
- the use of ointments that accelerate skin regeneration (healing);
- taking vasodilators and blood thinners;
- B vitamins;
- normalization of blood sugar levels;
- adherence to a diet.
In case of damage to the lower extremities, fixing means are used to relieve the load on the damaged area. This is necessary to prevent the development of a diabetic foot.
Local treatment
So what to do if ulcers appear? First, do not panic, but rinse them with an antiseptic solution. For example, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine.
The main thing is that the antiseptic does not contain alcohol.
After that, you need to apply a sterile bandage with antibacterial ointment. For example, with the drug Levomekol.
When the ulcer clears up and stops festering, it is necessary to use regenerating ointments that improve the healing process. For example, Solcoseryl.
Physiotherapy may also be prescribed by your doctor. Physiotherapy methods promote tissue renewal and accelerate the healing process.
If the ulcers do not go away for a long time and the treatment does not give any effect, surgery is possible. In severe cases, the affected limb is amputated.
Summing up
But don’t panic. At first glance, this is all so scary. Firstly, trophic ulcers are formed under the influence of high sugar levels for a long time. When a person lets the disease take its course, does not visit doctors and does not take antihyperglycemic drugs.
Secondly, timely identified ulcers are successfully treated without the use of surgical intervention.
Therefore, you need to be attentive to yourself and your health, follow the recommendations given by doctors.
- Here are some tips for prevention:
- Check your feet regularly for damage, especially the heels and the area between the toes.
- Use foot moisturizers.
- Use warm socks to keep your feet warm, not heating appliances.
- Wear comfortable shoes and don’t go barefoot even at home.
If you still have a scratch or wound on your leg, treat it with an antiseptic and apply a sterile patch. If the wound persists after 2 days, consult a doctor.