Diabetes is a common condition that currently affects around 4.7 million people in the UK. It is caused by having too much glucose (sugar) in the blood because the body is not producing enough insulin or is not using the insulin properly which affects the absorption of glucose into the body’s cells.
Diabetes can cause many complications – including damage to blood vessels and nerves. This can mean that you lose feeling in parts of your body, usually extremities such as your feet or hands. It can also mean that blood is unable to travel to parts of the body.
These complications can increase the risk of undetected ulcers, blisters and other wounds that may lead to infection. If this happens, adequate and prompt care is essential to reduce further complications such as amputation.
April 2019 figures from Public Health England showed that 7,545 ( still the most up to date statistics) people needed amputations because of diabetes between 2015 and 2018 – up 8.5% on the previous three years. For those with diabetes, amputation is a serious risk and adequate care must be provided to prevent it.