People with diabetes are at risk with their feet. When blood sugar is high, it can damage small blood vessels and nerves, and your feet cannot feel pain or pressure. A small blister, cut or pressure sore that would cause pain in a person without diabetes may not cause pain in your foot — until it turns into a large, infected ulcer.
Nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy) is unnoticeable and harmful. You can’t feel your feet and thus don’t know when something is wrong. You step on a pebble, get your toe caught under the furniture or rub your heel with a tight shoe, but you don’t feel anything. In the interim, the tissue is injured and infection occurs. When you realize, the wound is serious and deep.
That’s why it’s imperative for diabetics to check their feet every day. Check your feet thoroughly in the morning and evening. Look under your toes, between your heels and on your soles, for any signs of redness, swelling, blisters, cuts or drainage. In the event any of these signs occur, contact professional help right away. Diabetic foot ulcers will not heal without intervention. Because of the difficulty in blood flow and nerve damage, wounds can not heal properly the way they do for non-diabetics. The ulcer persists or worsens with home care, regular bandaging and topical ointments. Professional treatment will remove all infected tissue which will help to eliminate the infection, targeted antibiotics will control the infection, and conditions will be created for actual healing. Failure to treat diabetic ulcers will result in gangrene and amputation, making the need for early intervention essential. Diabetic Foot Care isn’t simply washing and moisturizing. This involves daily checks, wearing the right footwear that doesn’t rub or put pressure on your feet, regular professional maintenance and responding promptly if any unusual sights are noticed.
If you have diabetes, don’t wait to see if a sore, blister or ulcer on your foot is going to heal. Serious complications and the loss of foot mobility can be avoided with the proper assessment and treatment.
Our specialists offer diabetic foot care services in multiple location, assessing your wounds, conducting surgery, cleaning them, and managing infections and preventing them.
