Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetes causes many complications, including two serious foot problems. If you have diabetes, talk to the team at Montgomery Podiatry in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, about diabetic foot care. The practice’s experienced podiatrists offer specialized support to prevent and treat problems like diabetic ulcers. Learn how you could benefit from Montgomery Podiatry’s diabetic foot care by calling the office or scheduling an appointment online today. 

What is diabetic foot care?

Diabetic foot care is the comprehensive management of a patient’s feet and ankles when they have diabetes. That includes preventing, diagnosing, evaluating, and treating common diabetic foot problems, such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that can affect any peripheral nerves around your body but is especially common in the feet. It causes:

• Numbness
• Tingling or prickling
• Burning sensations
• Pain

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy increases your risk of developing diabetic ulcers — slow-healing open wounds.

The Montgomery Podiatry foot and ankle experts have many years of experience treating and monitoring people with diabetes. With their expertise in diabetic foot care, you can ensure your feet remain as healthy as possible.

What causes diabetic foot problems?

People with diabetes have problems regulating the sugar levels in their blood. They often have poor blood flow in their legs and feet because excess blood sugar damages the arteries and veins.

Uncontrolled blood sugar also damages the nerves, so you might not feel it when you injure your foot. Bacteria can enter the damaged skin, causing an infection. Because blood flow is poor, the tissues lack essential oxygen, nutrients, and healing cells, so injuries heal slowly.

The combination of numbness and poor blood flow makes you vulnerable to tissue breakdown and/or infection, leading to diabetic ulcers. These open sores can be deep, sometimes down to the bone. They also heal very slowly.

Diabetic foot care helps prevent these ulcers from developing. The Montgomery Podiatry team also has expert knowledge in caring for diabetic ulcers, which could lead to gangrene (tissue death) and amputation without proper treatment.

What does diabetic foot care involve?

Diabetic foot care involves having regular foot and ankle checkups at Montgomery Podiatry.

Your podiatrist examines your feet, looking for any injuries that need attention. They also check for common problems like ingrown toenails, toenail fungus, athlete’s foot, and corns. These conditions could lead to bacterial infections and encourage ulcer development.

Diabetic foot care includes treating conditions like these and expertly trimming your toenails. Your podiatrist can also help support your diabetic feet with custom orthotics and diabetic shoes.

Your podiatrist will tell you how often to schedule a diabetic foot care visit. If you notice any problems with your feet between routine exams, call Montgomery Podiatry immediately for advice.

To learn more about diabetic foot care or arrange your checkup, call Montgomery Podiatry or book an appointment online today.