Everything You Need to Know About Diabetic Foot Care
Diabetic health goes beyond your blood sugar and extends all the way down to your feet. Over time, diabetes can cause nerve and blood vessel damage in your feet. This damage leads to tingling, pain, decreased blood flow to your lower limbs, and loss of feeling in your feet. Called Diabetic Neuropathy, this condition and its symptoms can be very dangerous if not properly monitored. Diabetic neuropathy can make it harder to feel an open sore or infection in your foot, and without good blood flow, your feet will have a harder time healing. If left untreated, these little sores can lead to amputation of the limb.
Common Diabetic Foot and Ankle Conditions
People with diabetes are prone to many foot problems, often due to two diabetes complications: nerve damage (neuropathy) and poor blood circulation. Neuropathy causes loss of feeling in your feet, taking away your ability to feel pain and discomfort, so you may not detect an injury or irritation. Poor circulation in your feet reduces your ability to heal, making it hard for even a tiny cut to resist infection. When you have diabetes, you need to be aware of how foot problems can arise from disturbances in the skin, nails, nerves, bones, muscles, and blood vessels.
Our Approach to Diabetic Foot Care
At Rocky Mountain Foot and Ankle, our first approach to Diabetic foot health is education. You play an active and vital role in heading off diabetic complications and infections. With the proper education, we can work together to spot potential problems before they develop into anything more serious. Our first line of treatment comes in the form of regular checkups, preventative nail care, and wound healing.
When issues have progressed beyond preventative measures, it is not only our goal to prevent amputation, but to also keep you moving. We will work together, with you and your Primary Care Physician, to restore function and return you to normal life as soon as possible.
Take the First Step Toward Wellness
An investment in your feet is an investment in your quality of life.