Diabetics are prone to foot problems, due to the poor circulation and nerve damage caused by diabetes. Neuropathy or nerve damage can cause a loss of feeling in your foot, removing the ability to detect pain or discomfort. Poor circulation reduces your foot’s ability to heal correctly, often causing diabetic patients to experience severe foot problems that stem from small injuries, cuts, or sores. With proper diabetes management and careful foot care, amputation may be preventable in most circumstances.
Foot Problems Caused By Diabetes:
With nearly 30 million Americans already diagnosed as diabetic and increasing at over a million each year, diabetic foot care has become increasingly important. The most damaging diabetic foot problems are:
- Nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy). Diabetes can cause nerve damage in your feet, making you unable to sense pain. This makes treatment for small problems like blisters or cuts an important step to preventing the worst.
- Reduced Blood Flow to Your Foot. Diabetes slows down circulation to your feet, making it hard for sores and injuries to heal normally. Small injuries like blisters and cuts should be treated to speed healing and stop more serious conditions.
Extreme diabetic foot problems occur if you do not pay attention to small problems and allow the injury to go untreated. This can lead to the injury worsening without your knowledge and amputation in the most extreme cases.
Symptoms of Diabetic Foot (Feet with Diabetes)
Symptoms of diabetic foot often develop slowly over time and then eventually worsen. Signs of symptoms may include:
- Persistent and ongoing pain.
- Redness around a sore or wound indicating infection.
- Swollen foot, ankle, or leg signaling infection.
It is crucial that you visit Dr. Verville at her office in the Frisco area as soon as you recognize any symptoms of a diabetic foot.
Let Us Know How We Can Help You
Contact us if you have any questions, or if you would like to request a consultation.
Diabetic Foot Diagnosis
If you are diabetic and have swelling, inflammation, and pain in your foot we recommend that you make an appointment to see Board Certified Dr. Verville. Dr. Verville will determine the level of severity of your diabetic foot and the optimal treatment options for your specific based on your answers to questions during your consultation, results of your physical examination, and if necessary, imaging tests.
Treatment Options for Diabetic Foot
Options for treatment may vary based on the length of time the condition has been present and the severity of the condition at the time of diagnosis. While treatment will vary from person to person, diabetic foot is commonly treated with:
- Physical therapy
- Proper exercise
- Medication
- Possible surgery to repair damage to the joints.
In most cases of foot pain, stiffness, and immobility, several treatments may be recommended including: medication for pain relief and inflammation, rest to allow damaged joint areas to heal, and exercise to rebuild mobility and strength. More severe conditions may require surgery and rehabilitation.
If you are experiencing foot problems related to diabetes, call our office in the Frisco area at (214) 385-8822 to schedule an appointment immediately.
