When you think about Diabetes, many connotations automatically come to mind. But feet is often not even in the first ten things people think about when they’re first diagnosed with Diabetes. However, having Diabetes means you’re at a high risk of harm to your feet – harm which can lead to really serious complications.
Neuropathy
If you have Diabetes, you can develop Diabetic Neuropathy. This is a medical condition, caused by prolonged high blood sugar levels, that can affect your nerves – particularly in your lower limbs. Patient’s with Neuropathy often talk about feeling numbness and tingling in their feet. At first glance, this sounds like it would be, at worst, annoying. But numbness in your feet means it’s difficult to detect injury & infection, or feel changes in different terrain and temperature. This makes it vital, if you have numbness and tingling in your feet, that you inform your podiatrist to help prevent further foot health complications and manage your condition better.
What this means…
Loss of sensation in your feet ultimately means that any wounds or blisters can go undetected and have more chance of them getting infected, and you might not know about it until it’s too late. Ulcerations can occur, and these can often lead to amputations without early intervention from a podiatrist. Regular foot checks are, therefore, important. Any redness, swelling, cuts or sores need to be accounted for and treated. It’s imperative that you wear comfortable footwear that prevents friction & supports your feet’s pressure points as much as possible!
How we can help!
Podiatry Clinic’s, like ours in Doncaster, can be vital resources for people living with Diabetes needing instant access to professional foot care. We offer a specialised service that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Diabetic related foot problems. We’re experts in preventitive wound care for Diabetic foot ulcers, and we can provide Diabetic foot assessments and tailored footwear recommendations for your individual needs. We can also treat corns, calluses and dry/cracked heals – preventing wound occurrence along the way! Ultimately, we can be the one stop shop for all of your Diabetic Foot Care – helping you achieve optimal foot health!