Diabetic Foot Care Specialist

What is diabetic foot care? 

Diabetes is a common condition that causes high levels of blood sugar. In addition to fatigue and vision problems, diabetes can also damage your nerves and blood vessels. This nerve damage (called diabetic neuropathy) usually happens in your legs and feet. 

Damage to the nerves in your legs and feet leads to symptoms like numbness, tingling, and loss of sensation. Diabetic neuropathy robs you of your ability to feel things like pain and temperature changes. 

People with diabetic neuropathy are at an increased risk of foot injuries, ulcers, and complications like Charcot foot. 

Diabetic foot care is a preventive approach to foot health for people with diabetes. The goal is to minimize your risk of diabetic foot problems and prevent serious complications like gangrene or infection.  

What is a diabetic ulcer?

Because diabetic neuropathy reduces sensation in the feet, people with diabetes commonly experience cuts, scrapes, and other injuries without realizing it. Over time, small, untreated injuries become open sores or wounds called diabetic ulcers. 

About 15% of people with diabetes develop diabetic ulcers. In addition to nerve damage, diabetes also affects your blood vessels and blood flow, compromising your body’s ability to heal itself. 

Diabetic ulcers are at an increased risk of infection and can lead to severe complications like gangrene or amputation. For people with diabetes, even minor conditions like an ingrown toenail can lead to a serious infection. 

What is Charcot foot?

Charcot foot is one of the more weighty complications of diabetes. 

Charcot foot is a severe deformity that happens when you experience a foot fracture without noticing it. Continuing to walk on the fractured foot causes further damage, eventually causing the structure of your foot to collapse. 

In some cases, the severity of the damage caused by Charcot foot may require amputation. 

If you have diabetes, diabetic foot care can help you avoid a long list of potential complications. The specialists at West Suburban Podiatry offer individualized care and work with you to determine the best ways to preserve your foot health. 

What should I expect during my diabetic foot care appointment?

During your appointment, you and your podiatrist discuss your foot health as well as the steps you take to manage your diabetes. Diabetic foot care consists of professional foot care services and techniques your podiatrist provides for proper at-home foot care. 

Regularly checking your feet is essential to avoiding diabetic foot problems. If you notice issues with your feet, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. 

To speak with a doctor about how diabetes affects your foot health, book an appointment at West Suburban Podiatry by phone or schedule online today.