Diabetic Foot Care 101: When to Seek Help for Common Podiatry Concerns

Your feet take a lot of wear-and-tear. Small foot injuries and wounds like scrapes and scratches happen frequently. Corns and calluses form easily, especially if your shoes don’t fit just right. And issues like ingrown toenails affect many adults at least once over the course of a lifetime.

For most people, at-home care can typically address these common podiatry concerns. But the situation is different for people living with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

Because this is National Diabetes Month, Dr. Stephen Eichelsdorfer and our team at Town Center Foot & Ankle want to make sure you know when to seek help for podiatry concerns if you have diabetes. 

We offer comprehensive, compassionate foot and ankle care from our locations in Kingwood and Atascocita, Texas.

Take podiatry concerns seriously if you have diabetes

Diabetes affects your body’s ability to use or create the hormone insulin. Insulin is a key part of the process through which your cells get energy from your bloodstream, utilizing the glucose from the foods you eat and the beverages you drink.

When your cells can’t rely on insulin to effectively extract energy, your blood glucose levels increase. 

Elevated blood glucose, or blood sugar, for an extended amount of time puts your circulatory system through a lot of stress and can also affect organs in your body. That’s why blood sugar management is central to your diabetes management plan.

So what does all of this have to do with your feet? Well, even in individuals without diabetes, circulatory issues can affect the feet due to the effect of gravity. And for people with diabetes, foot issues often become a significant risk.

When people with diabetes should seek podiatry care

If you have diabetes, wounds on your feet or lower extremities may heal very slowly, increasing your risk of infection. 

And diabetes may result in a type of complication known as peripheral diabetic neuropathy, interfering with your ability to feel sensations like heat, cold, and pain in your feet and lower limbs. That means you might not notice common problems until they become severe.

Definitely seek care from Dr. Eichelsdorfer if you notice concerning podiatry issues like:

• Slow-healing wounds
• Loss of sensation, tingling, or numbness
• Ingrown toenails
• Corns or calluses

As a general rule, people with diabetes should use diabetic foot care techniques to monitor any podiatry concerns. You also may need medical attention sooner than a person without diabetes. If you’re not sure whether to see a podiatrist, err on the side of caution.

Comprehensive support and diabetic foot care

Dr. Eichelsdorfer provides our patients with support and instruction for comprehensive diabetic foot care. Your foot care plan involves at-home checks, cleaning routines, and footwear habits to protect your feet, as well as regular check-ins with Dr. Eichelsdorfer.

If you have diabetes and are worried about the health and continuing function of your feet, contact us at Town Center Foot & Ankle in Kingwood, Texas. You can schedule an initial consultation appointment by calling now or request an appointment online today.