Diabetes Care in Boone & Jefferson, NC

If you have diabetes, you may already know the wide range of effects the disease can have on your body. What you may not know is how diabetes can affect your feet. Our podiatrist can help with diabetic foot care, to keep your feet healthy.

How Diabetes Affects Your Feet

Diabetes affects the major systems in your body, including your immune, circulatory, and nervous systems. Your feet are especially vulnerable to the effects of diabetes. You may experience delayed healing due to immune system problems, loss of blood flow to your feet and toes, which can result in amputations, and peripheral neuropathy or loss of sensation in your feet and toes.

Foot and Toe Conditions Which Can Be Caused by Diabetes

When you have diabetes, you are at increased risk of developing painful diabetic ulcers, necrotic soft tissue, and peripheral neuropathy. You may also injure your feet and not feel it, due to nerve damage.

How To Take Care of Your Feet When You Have Diabetes

You need to take extra care of your feet when you are diabetic. You should:

• Thoroughly wash your feet with mild soap and lukewarm water
• Dry your feet and toes completely after washing
• Apply thick moisturizing cream to your feet and toes daily
• Trim nails straight across to avoid ingrown nails
• Stretch your arches, toes, and ankles every day to boost blood flow
• Wear protective shoes and avoid going barefoot

Diabetics are at increased risk of developing diabetic ulcers. To help prevent an open sore from turning into a diabetic ulcer, you need to:

• Check your feet and toes for cuts, blisters, or sores
• Apply antibiotic cream and bandages to any open sores

When To Visit Our Podiatrist if You Have Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you should visit your podiatrist at least once each year, as a preventive measure to keep your feet healthy. You should also visit your podiatrist if you:

• Experience an open injury to your feet or toes that fails to heal
• Notice blood or pus coming from an open sore or cut
• Have a fever associated with a toe or foot injury
• Notice whitened or darkened skin on your feet or toes
• Have a chronic cold feeling in your feet or toes

Want To Know More?

To discover more about diabetes care and how diabetes affects your feet, call Dr. Paul Zimmerman and Dr. Jonathan Tenley at Boone Podiatry. You can reach them in either of the Boone, and Jefferson, NC, offices by calling (828) 265-3668, so call today.