People with poorly controlled Diabetes after a period of time may experience damage to the nerve endings, blood circulation and joints in their feet.
Nerve damage related to Diabetes is called "Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy" which is a lack of feeling/sensation in the feet or painful sensations in the feet such as pins and needles, numbness and sharp pains. Due to the lack of sensation people with nerve damage are at risk of not detecting an injury to their feet which can lead to an infected wound or ulceration which can go to the bone.
With nerve damage some people may also develop a neurogenic arthropathy that affects the joints in the foot called Charcot Foot. In Charcot foot, pain perception and the ability to sense the position of the joints in the foot are severely impaired and muscles lose their ability to support the joints properly. This inability can result in traumas such as sprains and stress fractures to go undetected leading to joint damage and deformity of the foot.
Damage to the blood vessels of the foot can occur with poorly controlled Diabetes leading to "Peripheral Vascular Disease."
People with decreased circulation to the feet may take longer for injuries to the feet to heal due to the decreased supply of nutrients and immune factors.
Our Podiatrists can detect any changes to the feet early before they become a problem with a Diabetes Foot Assessment and will also look for general foot conditions that may lead to future problems. They will work with you to show you how to monitor your own feet in between consultations. It is recommended that people with Diabetes have a Diabetes Foot Assessment on an Annual Basis and people with Diabetes related foot complication access a Podiatrist for routine care of their skin and nails at least every 8 weeks.
Nerve damage related to Diabetes is called "Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy" which is a lack of feeling/sensation in the feet or painful sensations in the feet such as pins and needles, numbness and sharp pains. Due to the lack of sensation people with nerve damage are at risk of not detecting an injury to their feet which can lead to an infected wound or ulceration which can go to the bone.
With nerve damage some people may also develop a neurogenic arthropathy that affects the joints in the foot called Charcot Foot. In Charcot foot, pain perception and the ability to sense the position of the joints in the foot are severely impaired and muscles lose their ability to support the joints properly. This inability can result in traumas such as sprains and stress fractures to go undetected leading to joint damage and deformity of the foot.
Damage to the blood vessels of the foot can occur with poorly controlled Diabetes leading to "Peripheral Vascular Disease."
People with decreased circulation to the feet may take longer for injuries to the feet to heal due to the decreased supply of nutrients and immune factors.
Our Podiatrists can detect any changes to the feet early before they become a problem with a Diabetes Foot Assessment and will also look for general foot conditions that may lead to future problems. They will work with you to show you how to monitor your own feet in between consultations. It is recommended that people with Diabetes have a Diabetes Foot Assessment on an Annual Basis and people with Diabetes related foot complication access a Podiatrist for routine care of their skin and nails at least every 8 weeks.
