Schedule an Appointment Professional Diabetic Foot Care in Macomb, MI & Surrounding Areas
For years, Premier Foot & Ankle doctors have been working with patients to provide the best diabetic care for patients in the SE Michigan area.
Diabetes is a disease that is caused by high levels of sugar in the blood that can decrease your body's ability to fight off infections, which is especially harmful to your feet. When not properly controlled, diabetes can cause damage to organs, your immunity system, and even your nervous system.
Foot doctors emphasize the importance of monitoring your feet closely, as normal nerves allow people to sense if their shoes are too tight or if their shoes are rubbing on the feet too much. However, people with diabetes may not be able to sense minor injuries such as scrapes, cuts, and blisters.
Diabetes and Your Feet
People who have long-standing or poorly controlled diabetes are also at risk for having damage to the nerves in their feet, also known as peripheral neuropathy. If you have nerve damage, you may not be able to feel your feet normally and you may also be unable to sense the position of your feet and toes while walking and balancing, which can cause even more harm to your feet.
Wounds
For a diabetic patient, every wound is a health concern and requires immediate attention from one of our physicians, especially since skin cuts, bruises, and bumps may often go unnoticed by a diabetic. If these wounds go unnoticed for some time, delayed treatment can put a patient at risk for further complications.
Wounds such as ingrown toenails or calluses can lead to a breakdown of the skin and surrounding tissue, which will increase the risk of bacterial infections.
play_arrowIf you're experiencing any of the below symptoms, contact our ankle and foot specialists immediately:
- Chronic pain
- Signs of inflammation (heat, redness, swelling, loss of function)
- Signs of infection (discharge, bad odor, dead tissue)
- Numbness and dullness (signs of nerve damage)
- Fever/chills (signs that can be limb-threatening)
Limb Salvage with Our Foot Doctor's Help
At Premier Foot & Ankle, limb salvage and preservation is of the utmost importance when it comes to our patients. Diabetics may be at risk for foot and leg amputation, but before we take those measures, we will do everything possible to salvage the limb and preserve its health structure.
We do this by using advanced treatments and state of the art surgical techniques for all of our patients. We understand that mastering limb salvage and preservation techniques can have a significant influence on a patient's long-term quality of life, and we encourage you to seek medical attention right away at any signs of abnormalities. The key to amputation prevention for people with diabetes is early recognition and regular foot screenings, at least annually, from a podiatrist.
play_arrowIn addition to these checkups, there are warning signs that you should be aware of so that they may be identified, which include:
- Skin color changes
- Pain in the legs
- Ingrown and fungal toenails
- Bleeding corns and calluses
- Dry cracks in the skin, especially around the heel
- Open sores on the feet that are slow to heal
If you are a diabetic and concerned with abnormalities in your feet, we encourage you to give our office a call. Our goal is to treat each person who visits our office with personalized care we would want for ourselves. To schedule an appointment, contact us today at (586) 948-9417.