More than 40 million Americans have diabetes, a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar. There’s no cure for diabetes, but healthy lifestyle changes and medication can keep your blood sugar within the optimal range and reduce your risk of complications.
Many people with diabetes worry about their heart and blood sugar. However, the disease can also affect your feet. Diabetes can damage your blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the lower extremities and limits the oxygen and nutrients. Without proper blood sugar management, this may increase the risk of slow-healing wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, and infections.
At Plainsboro Princeton Medical Associates, with offices in Plainsboro Township and Monroe, New Jersey, Aruna Chakala, MD, regularly works with diabetic patients to support their foot health.
This article explains the connection between diabetes and your feet, highlights common complications, and provides tips for healthy feet.
Diabetes increases the risk of foot problems because it can affect circulation and nerve function in your feet and toes.
Over time, persistently high blood sugar damages your blood vessels and nerves. If the nerves in your feet aren’t functioning properly, you may develop an injury, such as a cut or blister, and not realize it. That wound may then become infected, and in severe cases, increase the risk of gangrene or amputation.
Beyond blood vessel and nerve damage, diabetes makes structural issues, like hammertoes and charcot foot (a condition that causes bone weakening and fractures in the foot), more likely. The good news is that foot problems aren’t inevitable. In fact, maintaining your diabetes can help support your mobility and overall health for years to come.
Many people with diabetes assume that foot problems only happen in severe cases, but that isn’t necessarily true. Because the disease damages nerves and blood vessels, changes aren’t always obvious until an infection or other serious complication appears. Thankfully, you can prevent many of these issues by following a few simple tips.
If you have diabetes, the best thing you can do for your feet is inspect them daily. When you get out of bed in the morning, check your feet for cuts, blisters, redness, or swelling.
We also recommend washing your feet twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. When you do, use a gentle soap and be sure to wash the tops and bottoms of your feet, your heels, and between your toes. Dry your feet thoroughly afterward to lower the risk of fungal infections, such as athlete's foot.
Beyond cleaning and inspecting your feet, wear shoes and socks whenever possible. This step can be challenging in the summer, but it’s important because it can reduce the risk of cuts and other wounds.
If you notice any changes during your inspections, such as redness, swelling, or an open wound, contact us immediately. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent infection and support faster healing.
Living with diabetes can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to manage the disease alone. Partnering with our caring team is a great way to optimize your blood sugar and prevent foot-related complications, such as diabetic neuropathy and slow-healing wounds.
To get started, call us at 609-799-5000 or request an appointment online today.
