Will diabetic legs swell? Why?

Swelling of the legs is a common symptom in diabetic patients, because the high blood sugar of diabetic patients can easily lead to higher blood viscosity, which can easily cause blockage of blood vessels and cause edema in the legs.

Swollen feet are one of the symptoms of diabetic foot, which is common in lower limb vascular occlusion, further leading to edema. If diabetic patients are in a state of high blood sugar for a long time, the viscosity of the blood will increase. When the viscosity of the blood increases, it is easy to cause some vascular inflammation, which can easily cause blood vessel occlusion, thereby easily causing edema of the feet. If not treated promptly, foot swelling may turn into foot ulcers, necrosis, or even amputation. It is recommended that patients with diabetic foot go to a professional hospital for treatment in a timely manner to avoid worsening of the disease and delaying the best time for treatment.

The basic causes of diabetic foot are neuropathy, vascular disease and infection. These factors work together to cause tissue necrosis, ulceration, and gangrene.

Neuropathy can have many manifestations, the most important of which is decreased or absent sensation, which causes diabetic patients to lose the self-protection function of their feet. For example: feet that feel normal will generally not be burned when washing feet, but feet with reduced sensation are more susceptible to damage; shoes rub your feet, but you are completely unaware until the wound becomes bigger and bigger. Dry skin, cracking and local arteriovenous shunts caused by diabetic autonomic neuropathy can also promote or aggravate the occurrence and development of diabetic foot.

Peripheral arterial disease is another important factor causing diabetic foot. Patients with severe peripheral arterial disease may experience lower limb muscle soreness after walking, and the pain will be relieved by stopping and resting. However, more patients may not have this symptom, and may develop foot ulcers or after the insensitive foot is injured, peripheral arterial disease may aggravate the foot disease.