What Is Diabetic Foot Care?
Foot care is important for everybody, but people with diabetes often need to take their foot care a step further. This is because diabetes can cause changes to your feet and legs by affecting your circulation and sensation. This can then limit blood flow to your feet and decrease your ability to sense pain.
In an effort to manage these risks, people with diabetes require a specific strategy to manage their foot care. As the effects of diabetes on your feet progressively worsen over time, annual diabetic foot health screenings by a podiatrist are recommended.
What Is Diabetic Foot Care For?
Diabetic foot disease affects approximately 1.7 million people in Australia, making it a significant problem— but one that can be addressed.
Diabetic foot care is for anybody with diabetes, even if you don’t currently have any complications concerning your feet. As well as providing treatment options for diabetes-related foot concerns, diabetic foot care may be able to detect issues before they become largely problematic. As a result, you may be able to reduce your risk of further complications.
What To Expect During Your Diabetic Foot Care Appointment
At Midland Podiatry, we take a caring yet serious approach to diabetic foot care. We recommend annual diabetic foot screenings so our podiatrists can help you to maintain your optimal foot health.
During your appointment, your podiatrist will:
- Assess your current sensation level
- Assess your current circulation level
- Assess your footwear
- Discuss your current risks
- Discuss management strategies to help reduce the likelihood of complications
To perform these assessments, your podiatrist will typically need to use medical instruments to assess nerve functions in your feet. They may also investigate blood supply using a doppler ultrasound to conduct neurovascular assessments.
Helping You Prevent Complications
Diabetic foot care can go a long way in preventing foot complications such as foot ulcers and amputations. Regular diabetic foot care from your podiatrist will ensure that potential issues are seen and addressed as soon as possible, reducing your risk of such complications.
Diabetic foot care also provides patients with education surrounding diabetes and its effects on the feet. This allows people to understand their condition and the potential risks associated with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people with diabetes need foot care?
If your blood sugar levels are elevated for too long, this can cause nerve damage that affects the feet. This nerve damage often results in impaired sensation (the ability to feel and detect pain) and circulation (blood flow) in the feet.
As you also may not notice any new cuts or wounds, impaired sensation and circulation in the feet leave you vulnerable to an increased risk of infection. Additionally, reduced blood flow to the feet means the body takes longer to close and heal wounds, making it more difficult to fight infections that develop.
Why should I see a podiatrist for diabetic foot care?
If you have diabetes, you can benefit from seeing a podiatrist in many ways. Some of these benefits may appear quickly, such as addressing any issues you may have noticed, while other benefits are preventative. A preventative approach to diabetic foot care aims to reduce your chances of severe complications such as amputation.
Should I book a podiatry appointment even if I don’t have pain?
If you’re living with diabetes, then preventative care is important. It can help to minimise or prevent complications before they disrupt your daily life. That’s why we recommend attending your annual podiatry check-up, even if you aren’t experiencing pain right now.
Why Choose Midland Podiatry For Diabetic Foot Care?
Warm And Welcoming Environment
We’re proud to offer a welcoming and friendly environment for all patients in the Midland and surrounding eastern suburbs.
30+ Years’ Experience
Our team of podiatrists with over 30 years of combined experience are well-versed in diabetic foot care.
Preventative Care
Treatment of existing foot problems is just one part of the puzzle. We understand that prevention is of the utmost importance in diabetic foot care.
Book Your Diabetic Foot Care Appointment Today
At Midland Podiatry we’ve been providing diabetic foot care services for 30 years. We understand all too well how important it is to recognise potential problems within diabetic foot care and address them straight away. Whether you’re experiencing issues with your feet currently or you’re looking for annual screening with the aim of prevention, the best time to act is now. We use clinically-proven treatments in our hygienic, clean, and welcoming environment to help your feet feel their best.
To book your appointment for diabetic foot care with a knowledgeable and understanding team, contact us at Midland Podiatry today.
