Living with diabetes is challenging for most patients. However, with competent medical care, this condition can be managed for the long term. Although some individuals may think that diabetes is simply about one's body being unable to process sugar normally, the reality is that this illness affects other aspects of your health. And one of your body parts that can be particularly hard hit is your feet.
Therefore, just as one would seek medical assistance from their GP to manage their diabetes, it is just as critical to enlist podiatric diabetic care too. This piece illustrates just two reasons it is imperative to visit a podiatrist regularly when living with diabetes.
A podiatrist can identify the possibility of nerve damage
A major risk that is posed to diabetic patients is the potential for developing peripheral neuropathy. What this means in layman's terms is nerve damage, and in this case, the damage happens to one's feet. Diabetes has the ability to jeopardise one's nervous system. When this happens, the nervous system loses its capacity to transmit messages from the brain to other parts of your body. As a result, you end up losing sensation in your feet at a progressive rate. And in some cases, this peripheral neuropathy could affect one's hands too.
When you visit a podiatrist, they will carry out tests to establish if you are at risk of peripheral neuropathy. If they do diagnose this medical condition, they will prescribe medications to prevent it from worsening. Moreover, you would have to visit the podiatrist regularly so that the professional can monitor any changes to the neuropathy.
A podiatrist can manage poor blood circulation
The second condition that diabetics are prone to developing is inefficient blood circulation. If you have developed this condition, you will experience symptoms such as a burning sensation in your feet, incessant pain and cramps in your muscles. Although a podiatrist may not cure this condition completely, they can help you manage it so that you are not chronically uncomfortable.
The first step toward managing poor circulation is engaging in cardiovascular exercises that will enhance blood flow. Secondly, the podiatrist will prescribe compression stockings or other types of garments to help improve circulation in your legs and feet. Lastly, they can provide you with over-the-counter medications that will provide you with some much-needed relief from the pain and discomfort.
It is critical to note that ignoring the need for podiatric services for the treatment of diabetes can cause irreparable harm to your feet. In worst-case scenarios, some patients end up having to undergo amputation surgery.
Call your local podiatrist for more information about podiatry diabetes treatment services.
Share9 March 2020
Having a fungal infection on your feet can be really annoying. You may find that your feet feel itchy, uncomfortable and that they don't smell great. The aim of this blog is to provide you with all of the info you need to fight a fungal infection. We are not trained podiatrist, but we have dedicated many hours to learning all we can about this subject. We will also be posting info about other conditions which can affect your feet and we hope to highlight how a podiatrist can help you to tackle them. Thank you for stopping by to read our blog!