Diabetes and Your Feet
Informed patients are healthy patients. It's important to become familiar with your foot or ankle condition to ensure quick recovery and proper treatment. Out staff is dedicated to providing you with numerous forms of self-education including our blog, patient education library, and links to notable podiatric organizations like the American Podiatric Medical Association and more!
At The Plateau Foot & Ankle Clinic we believe that providing educational material gives you a solid base from which to make better informed decisions about your health. Dr. Howard Schaengold provides excellent comprehensive medical & surgical care for all foot and ankle problems.
Some of the most common conditions that we treat include:
• Bunions
• Diabetic Foot Problems
• Fungal & Ingrown Toenails
• Heel Pain
• Sports Injuries
• Neuromas
Our specialties include surgery, sports medicine, heel pain, and bunion treatment. If you have questions or concerns please contact our office. Our information is always up-to-date and our assistance is readily available.
Simply learning about your foot or ankle condition and performing preventative maneuvers does not substitute for proper consultation and examination by Dr. Schaengold. Let an experienced leader in podiatric care treat your feet. Make an appointment with our Sammamish office by calling 425.868.3338 today! You may also request an appointment online.
Diabetes is a lifelong chronic disease that is caused by high levels of sugar in the blood. It can also decrease your body's ability to fight off infections, which is especially harmful in your feet. When diabetes is not properly controlled, damage can occur to the organs and impairment of the immune system is also likely to occur.
With damage to your nervous system, you may not be able to feel your feet properly. Normal sweat secretion and oil production that lubricates the skin of the foot is impaired, which can lead to an abnormal pressure on the skin, bones, and joints of the foot during walking and other activities. This can even lead to the breakdown of the skin of the foot, which often causes sores to develop. If you have diabetes, it is important to prevent foot problems before they occur, recognize problems early, and seek the right treatment when a problem does happen.
Diabetic Complications and Your Feet
When it comes to your feet, there are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing foot problems and diabetic infections in the legs and feet. First of all, poorly fitting shoes are one of the biggest culprits of diabetic foot complications. If you have red spots, sore spots, blisters, corns, calluses, or consistent pain associated with wearing shoes, new proper fitted shoes must be obtained immediately. Additionally, if you have common foot abnormalities such as flat feet, bunions, or hammertoes, prescription shoes or orthotics from your podiatrist may be necessary to further protect your feet from other damage.
People who have long-standing or poorly controlled diabetes are also at risk for having damage to the nerves in their feet, which is known in the medical community as peripheral neuropathy. If you have nerve damage, you may not be able to feel your feet normally and you may also be unable to sense the position of your feet and toes while walking and balancing, which can cause even more harm to your feet.
Normal nerves allow people to sense if their shoes are too tight or if their shoes are rubbing on the feet too much. With diabetes, you may not be able to properly sense minor injuries, such as cuts, scrapes and blisters-all signs of abnormal wear, tear, and foot strain. The following can also compromise the health of your feet:
- Poor circulation
- Trauma to the foot
- Infections
- Smoking
Diabetes can be extremely dangerous to your feet, so take precautions now. You can avoid serious problems such as losing a toe, foot, or leg by following proper prevention techniques offered by your podiatrist. Remember, prevention is the key to saving your feet and eliminating pain.