Feet often need "extreme makeovers" to improve function, appearance or to fit into shoes without pain. Diabetic's have "at risk" feet that result in different concerns. Podiatrists at Westside Podiatry Centers are trained to perform "extreme makeovers" of diabetic's feet that can improve and maintain the foot's health and function and reduce the incidence of amputation.
An "at risk" foot is more susceptible to infections, poor healing, and nerve and or circulation problems. Diabetes can cause the foot to be more fragile and more sensitive to injury and other problems. What is a small problem for a non-diabetic like a blister can take months to heal in a diabetic foot. Because of the fragile nature of a diabetic foot, patients with diabetes must view all foot problems as potentially very dangerous and they need to seek a doctors help as soon as a problem occurs. It is also a good idea to see a podiatrist preventively, just to learn what potential problems their foot is susceptible to.
Poor circulation is one problem many diabetics deal with in their feet. Poor circulation happens as we get older, but in diabetic patients this happens earlier. Smoking and high cholesterol can make these conditions worse. Poor circulation will cause slow healing of sores and infections. This can lead to ulcers and more infections because the protective skin barrier is open. Infections are more difficult to treat in a diabetic patient because the reduced circulation does not allow the antibiotics to get to the foot in great enough quantity. It is very important to prevent these problems before they happen. A visit to a podiatrist can help you identify if you are at risk.
Neuropathy is nerve damage in the feet caused by diabetes. Nearly 75 percent of all diabetics develop some degree of neuropathy. Neuropathy is insensitivity or the loss of the ability to feel pain, heat and cold.
When a foot has lost "protective sensation" the foot no longer has the ability to tell if there is a problem just by how the foot feels. This can be extreme. Cases have been seen where a 2-inch sewing needle was stuck in a foot and the patient had no idea how long the needle had been in the foot.
Another case of a bone broken in three places did not cause any pain, so the patient walked on the foot for weeks until the swelling prevented getting a shoe on.
Without sensitivity more serious problems can ensue, such as gangrene or ulcers which become more difficult to treat. It is very important that diabetics do not trust how their feet feel, but visually inspect the feet daily for any problems. Pain will not be a reliable indicator of a problem. Trust what you see, not what you feel.
Ulcers develop when an area does not heal properly. An ulcer is usually caused by a lack of blood circulating to a portion of the foot, or a lack of soft tissue protection, or excessive callus or a bone prominence that creates excessive pressure at a site. The ulcer may appear as a small hole that can become deeper or wider and even cause the bone to be infected. These must be treated very vigorously.
Callus tissue, even though it is thicker than regular skin, is less protective since it is no longer supple and cannot move in all directions like regular skin. This will cause a callus to shear, tear, crack and cause infections or ulcers.
Podiatrists are expertly trained to "makeover" a foot in many different ways including surgical options, medical options and orthopedic options. These "makeovers" for diabetics can reduce the risks that their feet face daily. Diabetics should have their feet inspected at least twice a year to evaluate them for circulation, nerve sensitivity, and deformities that create an "at risk" foot. For an expert opinion on how to "makeover" your feet and reduce your risk, come and visit one of the foot doctors at Westside Podiatry Centers.
Dr. James Farrell is a podiatrist at Westside Podiatry Centers located in Skaneateles. He can be
reached at 685-3338
Poor circulation is one problem many diabetics deal with in their feet. Poor circulation happens as we get older, but in diabetic patients this happens earlier. Smoking and high cholesterol can make these conditions worse. Poor circulation will cause slow healing of sores and infections. This can lead to ulcers and more infections because the protective skin barrier is open. Infections are more difficult to treat in a diabetic patient because the reduced circulation does not allow the antibiotics to get to the foot in great enough quantity. It is very important to prevent these problems before they happen. A visit to a podiatrist can help you identify if you are at risk.
Neuropathy is nerve damage in the feet caused by diabetes. Nearly 75 percent of all diabetics develop some degree of neuropathy. Neuropathy is insensitivity or the loss of the ability to feel pain, heat and cold.
When a foot has lost "protective sensation" the foot no longer has the ability to tell if there is a problem just by how the foot feels. This can be extreme. Cases have been seen where a 2-inch sewing needle was stuck in a foot and the patient had no idea how long the needle had been in the foot.
Another case of a bone broken in three places did not cause any pain, so the patient walked on the foot for weeks until the swelling prevented getting a shoe on.
Without sensitivity more serious problems can ensue, such as gangrene or ulcers which become more difficult to treat. It is very important that diabetics do not trust how their feet feel, but visually inspect the feet daily for any problems. Pain will not be a reliable indicator of a problem. Trust what you see, not what you feel.
Ulcers develop when an area does not heal properly. An ulcer is usually caused by a lack of blood circulating to a portion of the foot, or a lack of soft tissue protection, or excessive callus or a bone prominence that creates excessive pressure at a site. The ulcer may appear as a small hole that can become deeper or wider and even cause the bone to be infected. These must be treated very vigorously.
Callus tissue, even though it is thicker than regular skin, is less protective since it is no longer supple and cannot move in all directions like regular skin. This will cause a callus to shear, tear, crack and cause infections or ulcers.
Podiatrists are expertly trained to "makeover" a foot in many different ways including surgical options, medical options and orthopedic options. These "makeovers" for diabetics can reduce the risks that their feet face daily. Diabetics should have their feet inspected at least twice a year to evaluate them for circulation, nerve sensitivity, and deformities that create an "at risk" foot. For an expert opinion on how to "makeover" your feet and reduce your risk, come and visit one of the foot doctors at Westside Podiatry Centers.
Dr. James Farrell is a podiatrist at Westside Podiatry Centers located in Skaneateles. He can be
reached at 685-3338
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