The Red Spots on Feet

by moveforward on June 22, 2009

Red spots on the feet are common in diabetes sufferers. Diabetes is a serious disease resulting from the body’s inability to metabolize insulin as needed by the body to regulate the body’s blood glucose levels. The pancreas produces the insulin that helps the cell use glucose as fuel and maintains glucose levels in the bloodstream. There are two types of diabetes. The first being Type I diabetes or juvenile diabetes. In this case, the body is unable to produce the required insulin for the body. The second is called Type II diabetes or diabetes mellitus. In this case, the body, the body is unable to produce the requisite insulin to process the glucose in the body.

Diabetes results in cellular degeneration. This is because the cells do not have the insulin to process the necessary to turn glucose into the requisite fuel for the body. Also, the hormone insulin helps the body regulate the amount of glucose in the blood. Insulin helps the liver in excreting the excess glucose in the body. If the glucose levels were not regulated properly, then the body would result in a lot of problems. These are some of the health issues that occur when an individual has diabetes.

Neuropathy develops in diabetes sufferers. Neuropathy develops as the diabetic cellular degeneration affects the body’s nerves. The first symptom is insensitivity or a loss of the ability to feel pain, heat and cold. Thus, the diabetic can suffer from neuropathy and unable to feel anything minor cuts, scrapes, blisters or pressure sores. These minor injuries, if left untreated would result in complications exacerbated by diabetes.
Diabetes results in further complications in the body’s vascular system. One of the consequences of diabetes is that there is poor oxygen intake and nutrition in the cells of the body. These include narrowing of the arteries resulting in poor circulation leading towards the feet. When this happens, this leads to swelling and dryness of the feet. What is important is to keep circulation going in order to keep the healing process going and without it the feet can suffer from ulcers, infections and serious foot problems.

The Illnesses Resulting from Red Spots on the Feet

The first sign of blood circulation problems is the occurrence of red spots on the feet. These, when left unattended and unmanaged, would result in any of the following illnesses to attack the feet.

Acanthosis Nigricans is a condition that results in darkening and thickening of the skin. This appears as patches of tan or brown skin that appear on the sides of the neck, armpits and groin area, or even the hands, elbows and knees. This is one of the signs of pre-diabetes in the individual.
Atherosclerosis is the condition that narrows the blood vessels by the thickening of the vessel walls. These walls thicken because of the lack of oxygen, which is a result of diabetes cellular degeneration.
Bacterial infections risks are increased when an individual has diabetes. The body’s recuperative powers are severely hampered. These infections include styes, boils, carbuncles and other parts of the skin. Since the cells become dry because the cells cannot properly metabolize the fuel needed for its recuperation.
Diabetes Blisters or bullosis diabeticorum are blisters that occur on diabetics. These blisters look similar to burn blisters and they present themselves on the fingers, hands, toes, feet, legs or forearms. Usually these blisters are painless and heal on their own. This results from diabetic neuropathy and this can be held under control by managing the blood glucose level in the body.
Digital sclerosis is the condition that skin on the toes, fingers and hands become thick waxy and tight. The treatment for this is maintaining blood glucose levels and having lotions moisturizers to soften the skin.
Eruptive Xanthomasis occurs when glucose levels in the blood are too high and these results in firm, yellow pea-like bumps on the skin. The bumps are surrounded by red halos and itchy and are found on the arms, legs, buttocks and backs of the hands.
Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum is caused by changes in the blood vessels and generally affects the lower legs. The affected areas become raised, yellow and waxy in appearance with a purple border. It is itchy and painful and if the sores break open, there is a need for immediate medical attention.
Vitiligo affects skin coloration as the skin color pigment cells are destroyed resulting in discolored skin. This happens normally with Type I diabetes and sadly, there is no specific treatment for vitiligo.

The Way to Prevent Red Spots from Diabetes

The very first manner in diabetes management is an awareness of the effects of the disease in the lower extremities. This is because the neuropathy first occurs in the area and the vasculitis, due to gravity the build up occurs in the feet. Here are some of the proper steps to be undertaken for diabetics regarding red spots from diabetes.

When you observe color changes in the feet, then you must immediately seek medical attention. Paleness or bluishness of the toes means there is a decrease of circulation. If there is black skin on the feet, it means there is dead tissue and redness with streaks is a result of infection.
If there is abnormal swelling, then there may be an infection or poor circulation. Other symptoms include extreme tenderness and an unnatural increase in foot size.
If the feet or extremities are warm to the touch, it means that an infection has commenced. On the other extreme, coolness means a decrease in circulation from the inability to pump blood into the area.
When the feet are prone to sensations of pins and needles, numbness, tingling, burning or the lack of overall feeling, then nerve damage may be occurring which is a result of neuropathy due to diabetes.
When there is dryness of the skin’s feet and skin, and pressure occurs on the feet, the most common result would be ulceration of the diabetic foot or attack of infectious bacteria on the area.

These are but some of the illnesses that may occur from simple red spots at the feet. The most important things are the maintenance of blood glucose levels and proper hygiene to forestall the complications brought about by diabetes.