Diabetic Foot Care Doctors
Regular foot care is essential for your overall well-being — especially if you are managing diabetes. Diabetes can cause foot pain and other complications, including foot ulcers. Receiving advice and treatment from experienced diabetic foot care doctors can help you prevent problems before they start.
Regular checkups are a significant component of diabetic care. Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates wants to be part of your diabetes management team. We provide annual and emergency exams where we can check for nerve damage and ensure normal feeling and blood flow in your feet. Keeping you on your feet and healthy is our ultimate goal.
Diabetes and Your Feet
Foot issues are especially common in people who have diabetes. High blood sugar can damage the nerves and blood vessels. About half of those with diabetes experience some nerve damage, with the feet and legs as the most impacted areas. Nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy, can cause the following symptoms:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Foot pain
- Decreased ability to feel pain, cold or heat in your feet
Because of diabetes, those with nerve damage may not feel pain or normal sensation in their feet. Living without pain may sound pleasant, but it’s quite dangerous. Pain is your body’s way of alerting you to an issue, like an injury. Without pain in your feet, you may overlook a sore, blister or cut. These minor issues can become more severe if they aren’t treated early.
What Are Diabetic Foot Ulcers?
Usually located on the bottom of your foot, a diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore. These wounds can lead to infection and other ulcer-related complications. Diabetic foot ulcers can form due to various factors, including:
- Poor circulation.
- Friction or pressure from ill-fitting socks and shoes
- Trauma.
- Reduced ability to feel pain in the feet
Anyone with diabetes can develop a diabetic foot ulcer. You can prevent them by getting your feet checked regularly and seeking immediate medical care if you notice an issue.
When to See a Doctor for Diabetic Foot Care
Most severe diabetes-related foot complications are preventable. Seeing a diabetic foot specialist, like the team at Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates, is the best way to top minor problems from becoming serious ones.
If you’re not sure when to see a doctor about your diabetic foot pain, here are some foot-related symptoms to look out for:
- Pain, including tingling or burning
- Loss of sensation
- Inability to feel heat or cold very well
- Pain, cramping or discomfort in your legs, calves, thighs or buttocks
- Misshapen feet
- Loss of hair on your feet, toes or lower legs
- Dry, cracked feet
- Thick, yellow toenails
- Any sore, blister or infected corn on your feet, including ingrown toenails
Keep Your Feet Healthy Even With Diabetes at Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates
Receiving treatment from experienced specialists is one of the best ways to keep you on your feet and maintain your quality of life. Meet with our team of diabetic foot care doctors in Centralia, Lacey, Olympia, Tacoma or Tumwater today. Schedule your appointment online, or give us a call at 360-754-3338.
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An affiliate of FASA Family Wellness PLLC
An affiliate of FASA Family Wellness PLLC