Diabetes And Swollen Feet Treatment | Valley Foot Care, Inc.

Patient Education Library

Diabetes and Your Feet

Diabetes can have profound effects upon the feet. Elevated sugar levels can result in damage to the fatty insulation (known as myelin) surrounding nerves that supply the feet. This may result in altered sensation to the feet with feelings such as tingling, shooting pains and complete numbness. This condition is known as neuropathy. In advanced stages, the inability to feel the foot can lead to holes in the feet, known as ulcers.

Besides nerve damage, diabetes can lead to a narrowing of the blood vessels that provide oxygen and nutrients to the feet. If neglected, this too can lead to limb loss. Your foot doctor will periodically assess your body’s ability to detect dangers to your foot by using a variety of simple, non-painful tests, including tuning fork and fine filament, to assess for neuropathy.

At your podiatric examination, your foot doctor can examine your pulses in your feet and determine whether or not to do an arterial Doppler. This is a simple non-invasive test using ultrasound to listen to and graph the blood flow going to your feet. Depending upon the results, a referral to a vascular specialist may be done to improve the blood flow to the feet and prevent limb loss.

FAQ

I have Diabetes how often should I see a foot doctor?

Every person with diabetes should see a foot doctor once per year at a minimum. During a foot exam your podiatrist will examine your foot structure, blood flow and nerve supply. If it is determined that you are suffering from neuropathy or problems with blood flow known as vascular disease it is recommended that you see a podiatrist at a minimum of every three months for nail and callus care and routine foot inspections to prevent problems. If it is determined that you have something more acute like an ulceration (A hole in the foot) or and infection you may have to see a podiatrist more regularly until that problem is resolved.

How are diabetic shoes different from regular shoes?

Diabetic shoes are also known as extra depth shoes. These shoes are designed to lessen risk to the structure of the diabetic foot by providing more room in the toes to avoid pressure points and ulcerations. They are typically seamless on the inside and made of more relaxed materials on the outside that float over toes and big toe joint to avoid creating sores. These shoes typically come with special diabetic insoles made of special foams to reduce the chance of wounds and ulcers on the bottom of the foot.