Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic in the United States. Of the 38 million+ Americans living with diabetes, 90-95% of them are affected by type 2 diabetes, while over 97 million are living with prediabetes, the precursor to diabetes.
Even more alarming? More children, teens, and young adults are developing diabetes than ever before. Living with diabetes puts you at risk for a range of conditions, including serious foot problems, so it’s critical to see your podiatrist regularly.
Our expert provider team at Premier Foot & Ankle provides specialized care for those living with diabetes and the foot problems that accompany the condition. Steady monitoring of blood sugar levels is a critical part of diabetes self-care, and foot health management is equally important.
Diabetes is a condition in which your body doesn’t properly use glucose, the sugar derived from food and drinks. As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream to dangerous levels.
This happens because your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, the hormone that helps cells absorb glucose, or doesn’t use it effectively.
Living with diabetes puts you at risk for a wide range of serious conditions, including:
Unfortunately, diabetes also causes serious problems for your feet.
We want to share information on the top four ways diabetes damages your feet to illustrate why it’s critical to have your foot health watched closely by your trusted Premier Foot & Ankle provider.
Neuropathy is nerve damage, and it’s believed that up to 50% of those living with diabetes are affected by this serious health concern.
Why is it serious? Because impaired nerves in your feet cause reduced sensation, you can’t feel if you have an injury to your foot, like a blister or cut.
This can be dangerous because if a foot injury gets infected and you aren’t aware, it doesn’t get treated and can grow into an infection that causes tissue death and even amputation.
Diabetes harms blood vessels in your feet, which slows blood flow to them. This contributes to an inability to feel any injury to your feet and raises your risk of infection.
Diabetes weakens your immune system, so aside from increasing the likelihood you’ll catch a virus, any foot injury you sustain is slower to heal.
The longer a stubborn foot injury goes untreated, the higher your risk of developing an infection and facing serious complications.
Diabetic foot ulcers are open sores that people living with diabetes are prone to. They can take weeks and sometimes months to heal, and they put you in a prolonged danger zone for infection, tissue death, and amputation.
Living with diabetes also raises your risk of multiple other foot conditions that pose more danger to you than to someone who isn’t impacted by diabetes. These include ingrown toenails and toenail fungus.
It’s vital to take great care of your feet so you can avoid any possibility of diabetes-related complications. When you come to Premier Foot & Ankle for diabetic foot care, we talk to you about the importance of properly caring for your feet daily.
You need to inspect your feet carefully for nicks, scratches, or other small injuries, keep them clean, dry, and moisturized (but don’t apply moisturizer between your toes), and make sure you wear shoes that fit well and soft, comfortable socks that don’t irritate.
Doing all the things you should to care for your diabetes also benefits your feet — managing your blood sugar responsibly, eating well, exercising, and avoiding tobacco use.
Your lifestyle choices then complement the treatments we offer to keep your feet healthy:
We can also address serious complications, including surgical debridement, the removal of infected or dead tissue from a wound, or toe amputation, if it’s necessary.
Our Premier Foot & Ankle team is committed to helping you establish and maintain your foot health so you can be the boss when it comes to managing your diabetes and making the most out of life.
To learn more about foot health and living with diabetes, call one of our five convenient Texas locations today or book your appointment online anytime.
