DIABETES FACTS

• • In the next 3 years the number of people worldwide who have diabetes is expected to rise to 380 million.
  • Up to 70% of lower limb amputations are performed on people with diabetes.
  • Up to 85% of all amputations are preceded by an ulcer.
  • Every 30 seconds, a lower limb is lost somewhere in the world as a consequence of diabetes.

What is it?

Diabetes develops from high blood sugar levels. This can cause damage to your blood vessels, affecting circulation to your feet as less blood is getting to your skin, muscles, and tissues. It also affects your nervous system in your body by stopping important messages getting to and from your brain. The longest nerves are more likely to be affected – those that reach all the way down to your legs and feet. This nerve damage is called neuropathy. Different types of diabetic neuropathy include sensory, motor, and autonomic.

What can I do to prevent complications?

If you wish to prevent foot problems, you need to manage your diabetes well by controlling your blood glucose levels, along with your blood pressure and cholesterol. A healthy and active lifestyle, especially if you are a non-smoker, can prevent or slow down any changes to the nerves and blood vessels that supply your legs and feet.

Everyone who has diabetes should also have their feet checked regularly with a healthcare professional (podiatrist, nurse or doctor) and at the very least once a year at their annual review. However, if you are at increased risk of complications, these inspections may be done more frequently.

Podiatrists can provide regular foot care by reducing the build-up of hard skin, managing your nail care, and offer advice on footwear, posture, exercises, wound management, minimise infections, circulation, padding and strapping, or any other foot related issues you may have.

How can a Podiatrist help me?

At your first appointment the podiatrist will assess your feet and check both the blood supply to your feet as well as any evidence of loss of sensation in your feet.

The assessment of the blood supply to your feet includes feeling the pulses in the feet, checking the colour, texture and quality of the skin and nails, feeling the temperature as well as asking questions about calf pain during walking. Most people have 2 pulses on their feet: one on the top (dorsalis pedis) and one on the inside of the ankle (posterior tibial). If the podiatrist cannot feel the pulses with their fingers, they may use a Doppler (hand-held scanner) to listen to them.

Sensation will most commonly be checked with a monofilament and tuning fork. The monofilament is a plastic probe that is designed to buckle at a given pressure and is a good indicator for loss of feeling.

Part of the assessment also includes any presence of foot deformities or signs of excessive loading. In this case, the podiatrist can offer advice on footwear or discuss a management plan that may involve provision of foot supports to minimise the pressure on your feet.

How serious is it? Diabetes and your feet

It is important to look after your feet when you have diabetes. Any injury or hard skin has the potential to develop into something more serious. When the skin is damaged, it may not heal so easily and sometimes this can cause an ulcer to form on your foot. Additionally, if you have lost feeling in your feet then it is possible that you may unknowingly damage your feet. You may stand on sharp objects like a nail, piercing the skin even down to the bone without realising it. If not noticed and not treated appropriately this can have potentially serious consequences and could lead to an amputation. Such an outcome is less likely if you seek expert advice from your multidisciplinary foot care team.

At Medipod Clinics, we take care of your feet. Our team of Podiatrists have a wealth of experience in managing foot problems. We also try to give you the information you need to keep your feet healthy.

Some of our podiatrists are very interested in the diabetic foot so we can offer expert advice about circulation, neuropathy, and reducing foot complications. We also offer treatments for nails, hard skin, ingrown toenails, verrucas, fungal infections, thickened nails, heel pain and tendinitis. With our expertise and experience, you will have full peace of mind when it comes to your foot health.

If you are experiencing any discomfort in your feet, we are more than happy to help. Give us a call today on 01455 246100 to chat through your needs. We would love to help you with any foot health issues you may have.

Thank you for reading – Diabetes and your feet.

Faye Vogiatzoglou
Clinical Director

http://medipodclinics.com/

The post Diabetes and your feet appeared first on Medipod Clinics.

What is it?

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into sugar (also called glucose) and released into our bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. If your body is not producing enough insulin, high levels of sugar stay in the blood.

High blood glucose levels can damage your blood vessels and thereby circulation to your feet and legs, due to less blood getting to your skin, muscles and tissues. It can also cause damage to the nerve system in your body by stopping important messages to and from your brain. The most commonly affected nerves are the long ones – those that reach all the way down to your legs and feet. Nerve damage is called neuropathy. Diabetes can also affect your eyes and kidneys.

Why do I need to see a podiatrist?

Any injury or hard skin has the potential to develop into something more serious if you have diabetes. When the skin is damaged, it may not heal so easily and sometimes this can cause an ulcer to form on your foot. Additionally, if you have lost feeling in your feet then it is possible that you may unknowingly damage your feet. You may stand on sharp objects like a nail, piercing the skin even down to the bone without realising it. If not noticed and not treated appropriately this can have potentially serious consequences and could lead to an amputation. It is very likely to avoid such an outcome, if you seek expert advice from your multidisciplinary foot care team.

Another change that can occur is reduced blood flow to your feet. Diabetes may also affect your ability to heal and reduce your natural ability to fight bacteria. Consequently, you should take particular care of any scratches, cuts or blisters on your feet.

How do I prevent foot complications? – Diabetes and Your Feet

Preventing foot problems involves a few easy steps:

• Manage your diabetes well by controlling blood glucose levels, along with cholesterol and blood pressure, and having a healthy active lifestyle
• Avoid smoking
• Always check your feet every day
• Clean and dress any cuts, scratches or wounds
• Avoid walking around barefoot to prevent potential injury
• Always wear shoes that fit properly
• Never sit with your feet too close to a fire or a hot radiator
• Avoid using corn plasters as the acid can burn your feet
• See a HCPC Registered Podiatrist regularly in order to have the hard skin removed and your nails cut professionally

Always…

Have your feet also checked regularly by a healthcare professional (podiatrist, nurse or doctor) and at the very least once a year at their annual review. However, if you are at increased risk of complications, these inspections need to be done more frequently.

What can a Podiatrist do for me?

If you have Diabetes the Podiatrist will normally check both the blood supply to your feet and any evidence of loss of sensation in your feet.

Blood supply will be checked by looking at the colour of the skin, quality, texture, temperature as well as checking the pulses in the feet with their fingers or a small hand-held scanner (called a Doppler). They may also ask questions about certain kinds of pains in your feet and legs.

Sensation will most commonly be checked with a monofilament and tuning fork. The monofilament is a plastic probe that is designed to buckle at a given pressure and is a good indicator for loss of feeling.

The podiatrist will also be looking for any foot deformity or signs of excessive loading that may warrant either footwear advice or in some cases an insole. They can also trim your nails, reduce the hard skin and offer advice on how to best care for your feet.

When should I see a podiatrist? – Diabetes and Your Feet

In many cases seeing a podiatrist, a nurse or your GP promptly can alleviate symptoms and prevent serious complications, such as amputations. Your podiatrist will recommend a return period according to the state of your feet and/or risk status. Most people visit a podiatrist every 6-8 weeks.

If you notice any of the following, please get in touch:

• Breaks in the skin, opens sores/blisters or a discharge
• Any swelling in your feet or legs and/or an unusual odour
• Hard skin (callus)
• Cramp in your calves
• Any pain during walking or wearing shoes
• Tingling sensation or pins and needles
• Skin colour changes (redder, bluer, paler, blacker) over part or all of the foot
• Part or all of your foot feels much hotter or colder than usual
• Anything else that has not been there before.

To talk to a podiatrist (also known as a chiropodist) about the options available regarding treatment, you can contact an NHS podiatrist or a private practice podiatrist. In both cases, always ensure that any practitioners you visit are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and describe themselves as a podiatrist (or chiropodist).

At Medipod Clinics we are experienced in managing foot problems related to Diabetes. As well as keeping up to date with the latest research and new treatments, we always try to give you the information and tools you need to keep your feet healthy.

If you are experiencing any discomfort in your feet, we are more than happy to help. Give us a call today on 01455 246100 to chat through your needs.

We also offer footwear advice, ingrown toenail surgery and verruca treatments. With our expertise and experience, you will have full peace of mind when it comes to your foot health.

For more information about our range of treatments, please contact us on 01455 246100. We would love to help you with any foot health issues you may have.

Thank you for reading.

Faye Vogiatzoglou
http://medipodclinics.com/

Further information and useful contacts
For more detailed and comprehensive information about Diabetes and foot care generally, please consult the websites below:
• www.footindiabetes.org
• www.diabetes.org.uk
• www.patient.co.uk
• www.nhs.uk
• www.nice.org.uk

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