A Machine That Identifies Diabetic Ulcers Is In the Process of Developing

Diabetes is mellitus is a condition in which there is too much sugar also known as glucose in the blood. People should know the body uses insulin (a natural hormone) in order to change glucose and other foods into energy. Diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t make a sufficient amount of insulin or makes nothing at all. Also, diabetes occurs when the body cannot use this natural hormone. Often, those who have diabetes suffer from other health issues and complications. One such complication might be tissue damage on the feet. This is known as foot ulcers, and if left untreated they can worsen. In the worst-case scenario, there an amputation might be needed. But thanks to modern technology there is an easy way to prevent these ulcers. Read on to find out more about the machine that identifies diabetic ulcers.

Machine That Identifies Diabetic Ulcers

One device is being developed in the UK that might help doctors identify when ulcers are about to form. With the help of a temperature-sensing device, physicians scan the feet of the patient, and in that way, they look for signs of an ulcer. This information might help doctors prevent the development of ulcers and also improve the condition of their patient. This incredible device that is a scanning device is known by the name DFirst. How does this device work? Well, it looks for hot places and spots which have a higher temperature than the normal one. This is done on the feet of those who have diabetes.  In order to find out how this device works watch the video below. Doctors think that these hot spots imply of areas of inflammation that consequently might cause foot ulcers.

How Ulcers Cause Issues

Diabetes might lead to nerve damage of the patient. Damage to the nerves might limit the capability of the patient to feel pain. So, this means that those with diabetes might not feel the development of the ulcers in its early stages. Robert Simpson is a researcher at the National Physical Laboratory. According to Simpson, this scanning device might notice areas of inflammation. Therefore this is an in a way a thermal imaging camera core. It is sensitive to the infrared that has a strong bond with the temperature, so this offers a temperature map. But, people should know one thing, and that is that the issue of foot ulcers might be bigger than health experts have identified. Based on a 2014 study by the WHO, i.e., World Health Organization around 400 million individuals are living with diabetes. According to some around 25 % of them will eventually have foot ulcers. Robert Simpson said that in the UK, the issue has led to a rise in the number of amputations. He notes that there are approximately 140 amputations every week, so there is around 1 every single hour. Also that around 80 % of these amputations are due to foot issues. Researchers note that until recently physicians looked for hot areas with scanners that might not observe the entire foot. Due to this, problem spots might be easily missed. According to Simpson, around 100,000 individuals in the UK have a foot ulcer. He notes that they are also chances of having another ulcer. So it is vital to have better management of our health issues. Currently, the version of the scanning device is held with both hands. Scientists have been testing it for around 2 years. The designers want the later versions to be small as a smartphone. So, this device will surely ease the lives of those with diabetes. This doesn’t mean that we should stop paying attention, do a diabetic foot check ourself and look for signs and symptoms. We should do our best to take proper care of our feet.