Diabetes is a disease, causing impairment in the way the body produces or responds to insulin. This often leads to abnormal metabolism of carbs. It also increases the glucose levels in your blood. Affecting over 29 million U.S. residents, this is a fairly common problem. It’s imperative for those with the disease to invest in regular diabetic foot care, as the issue can have damaging or dangerous effects on your feet.

The Importance of Diabetic Foot Care

What Diabetes Does

Most diabetics don't consider their feet to be a metabolic issue. However, diabetes can cause damage to the nerves in the lower half of your body. If this becomes severe enough, you can even lose feeling entirely. The ability to feel pain is lost, which puts you at a higher risk of unknown injury. Likewise, circulation issues are common among those with the disease. Without proper circulation, those injuries are unable to heal as effectively or quickly.

Daily Checkups

It is imperative to perform a simple checkup of your feet daily. This is especially true if you have a more severe case of nerve damage. Make a habit of looking them over once when you wake up and also before going to sleep. This allows you to find any injuries you may have sustained, so you can treat them properly. Look for cuts, scrapes, bruises, or swelling; this is incredibly important for preventing severe foot damage or infection.

Annual Foot Exam

Apart from your own examinations, you must invest in professional diabetic foot care. This includes visiting a podiatrist regularly. Your physician will perform a more thorough exam to determine the overall health of your feet. They can also provide recommendations for your day-to-day or treatments if any issues arise. Without professional help, you may miss an internal injury, which is why regular visits to your podiatrist are important for those with diabetes.

Diabetic foot care is an important part of daily life. If you’re looking for a physician to help you, call Eastern CT Foot Specialists. Based in Norwich, CT, the team is highly qualified with over 25 years of experience. For more information, visit the website or call (860) 887-3538 in Norwich or (860) 456-9593 in North Windham.