When you have diabetes, it’s vital to receive regular checkups to ensure your feet are healthy. At their offices in Clarksville, Nashville, and Erin, Tennessee, and Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the Gateway Foot and Ankle Center team offers expert diabetic foot care for patients. You can prevent complications like diabetic ulcers by taking advantage of the team’s experience and expertise in diabetic foot care. To find out more, call your nearest Gateway Foot and Ankle Center office today or go online to schedule a consultation.
If you have diabetes, paying special attention to your feet is essential. Diabetes causes numerous complications because the high blood sugar levels typical of the disease lead to blood vessel and nerve damage.
Damaged veins in your legs and feet reduce circulation, depriving your lower limbs of oxygen, nutrients, and healing cells. The tissues can also weaken, and you might develop a vein disease like chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which also limits circulation.
High sugar levels also harm the nerves in your feet, causing diabetic peripheral neuropathy. You might experience pain and burning, tingling, or prickling sensations. Your feet might also go numb.
The combination of poor repair, weakened tissues, and numbness can encourage the development of diabetic ulcers. These open wounds are prone to infection and resist healing. Without expert treatment, an infected diabetic ulcer can become gangrenous, resulting in limb amputation.
Regularly checking your feet is vital if you have diabetes. If your feet become numb, you may not realize you have damaged skin, so make sure you look at your feet every day.
Keeping your feet clean and dry helps you avoid infections like athlete’s foot and fungal toenails. Wash your feet daily, dry thoroughly, and apply moisturizing cream if recommended by your Gateway Foot and Ankle Center podiatrist.
Most importantly, work with your primary care provider and/or diabetes specialist to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level.
Caring for diabetic feet is a partnership between you and the Gateway Foot and Ankle Center team. You need to visit at intervals advised by your podiatrist for an in-depth foot examination in addition to your daily home checks.
If you’re unable to check your own feet, the Gateway Foot and Ankle Center team can help with more frequent appointments. They also carry out treatments to address problems like corns, calluses, and ingrown toenails and expertly trim your toenails.
Your podiatrist can prescribe diabetic shoes or custom orthotics (soft, supportive shoe inserts) to help you walk and protect your feet. If you develop a diabetic ulcer, the team has specialized skills in treating the wounds and helping you avoid amputation.
For optimal care of your diabetic feet, call Gateway Foot and Ankle Center today or book an appointment online.