The American Podiatric Medical Association's #“Knock Your Socks Off#” campaign raises awareness about the prevalence of diabetes and the serious consequences it can have on the feet. It encourages patients to take off their shoes and socks and have their feet examined as part of their routine medical checkups. November is Diabetes Awareness Month.
Feet, which are often overlooked during regular medical checkups, can reveal the first signs and symptoms of diabetes and other serious medical conditions.
Diabetes can cause poor blood flow and nerve damage in the legs and feet, which can lead to the inability to feel pain. Small sores and cuts that go unnoticed can easily become serious problems if left untreated. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of lower-limb amputations.
Ethnicity plays a large factor in a person's risk for developing diabetes.
Hispanic/Latino Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes as non-Hispanic Americans. Currently diabetes affects 2.5 million Hispanic/Latino Americans, and half of those people affected by the disease don't know they have it. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the Hispanic/Latino American community and the fourth leading cause of death in women and elderly.
Having a family history of diabetes can increase a person's risk for developing the disease. Because diabetes is so prevalent among the Hispanic/Latino American community, it is important for diabetes to become a family affair. Parents should speak openly about the disease with their children and about their potential risk of developing the disease.
Feet can show a number of diabetes warning signs and symptoms such as redness, numbness, swelling, skin feeling cold to the touch from decreased blood circulation, inflammation and any noticeable changes to the feet such as non-healing wounds or sores.
The type and severity of complications suffered as a result of diabetes varies from person to person. For this reason treating diabetes requires a team approach encompassing physicians from different specialties, including a podiatrist, a dentist, an eye doctor and a primary care physician. A comprehensive foot care treatment plan can reduce amputation rates by 45 to 85 percent.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is highly preventable.
Excess weight and inactivity contribute to the large number of type 2 diabetes cases. Having an active lifestyle and adopting a healthy diet can significantly decrease a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Dr. James Farrell is a licensed
podiatrist at the Westside Podiatry Center in Skaneateles. He can be reached at 685-3338
Diabetes can cause poor blood flow and nerve damage in the legs and feet, which can lead to the inability to feel pain. Small sores and cuts that go unnoticed can easily become serious problems if left untreated. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of lower-limb amputations.
Ethnicity plays a large factor in a person's risk for developing diabetes.
Hispanic/Latino Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes as non-Hispanic Americans. Currently diabetes affects 2.5 million Hispanic/Latino Americans, and half of those people affected by the disease don't know they have it. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the Hispanic/Latino American community and the fourth leading cause of death in women and elderly.
Having a family history of diabetes can increase a person's risk for developing the disease. Because diabetes is so prevalent among the Hispanic/Latino American community, it is important for diabetes to become a family affair. Parents should speak openly about the disease with their children and about their potential risk of developing the disease.
Feet can show a number of diabetes warning signs and symptoms such as redness, numbness, swelling, skin feeling cold to the touch from decreased blood circulation, inflammation and any noticeable changes to the feet such as non-healing wounds or sores.
The type and severity of complications suffered as a result of diabetes varies from person to person. For this reason treating diabetes requires a team approach encompassing physicians from different specialties, including a podiatrist, a dentist, an eye doctor and a primary care physician. A comprehensive foot care treatment plan can reduce amputation rates by 45 to 85 percent.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is highly preventable.
Excess weight and inactivity contribute to the large number of type 2 diabetes cases. Having an active lifestyle and adopting a healthy diet can significantly decrease a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Dr. James Farrell is a licensed
podiatrist at the Westside Podiatry Center in Skaneateles. He can be reached at 685-3338
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