Patients with diabetes should have a foot specialist on their care team. You’ll learn why when you watch this featured video. It explains that podiatrists in Sugar Land often treat patients with diabetes who sustained foot injuries without realizing it. This is because diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage, can dull sensation in the foot to the point at which it isn’t possible to sense an injury. Additionally, diabetes inhibits blood circulation, and a constant supply of oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood is necessary for wounds to heal.

Without proper treatment, even a minor wound on the foot can quickly become infected. The infection can spread, the wound can become worse, and eventually, the patient may need to have the toe or foot amputated. By seeing a foot doctor for specialized care, patients with diabetes can avoid these problems, or treat them in time to prevent permanent disability.

It’s possible for a podiatrist to detect changes associated with diabetes before you do. Foot doctors serving the Sugar Land area are always on the lookout for unusually cold feet, numbness, tingling, and foot pain that might indicate a diabetic foot. You can learn more about this serious health problem by watching this featured interview with a podiatrist.

She explains that the unstable blood glucose levels associated with diabetes can cause damage to the nerves and blood vessels of the feet. This leads to poor circulation and an increased risk of undetected foot injuries. Patients with diabetes or vascular disease can protect their health by checking their feet daily, leading an active lifestyle, and following a medical treatment plan as recommended by the doctor.

Toenail fungus is a common foot problem for people with diabetes. If you develop an infection, it is important to see a foot doctor for toenail fungus removal near Sugar Land as soon as possible to prevent the fungus from spreading.

Watch this video to learn how diabetes increases the chances of developing toenail fungus. Because diabetes frequently causes nerve damage, you may not be aware when you injure your toenail. Such an injury can create an opening for fungus, allowing an infection to take hold. Without treatment from a foot doctor, the infection can spread beyond the nail to the foot. In turn, that infection can cause cracks in the skin that allow bacteria to enter, causing a secondary infection that must be treated by a foot and ankle specialist.

If you suffer from diabetes, managing the disease is crucial to maintaining your foot health. Diabetes can cause nerve damage, poor circulation, and can even alter the shape of your foot, leading to foot pain and toe damage. A podiatrist or foot specialist in Sugar Land can help you manage your foot health, and can diagnose and treat many foot problems that result from diabetes. Continue reading for more information on how diabetes can affect your foot health.

Diabetes Can Cause Neuropathy
Neuropathy, or nerve damage, is a common side effect of diabetes. This nerve damage can make your feel numb to pain and temperature, preventing you from noticing if you have injured your foot. Without proper treatment from a podiatrist, a foot injury can become much worse over time, leading to infection and permanent disfigurement.

Poor Circulation Due to Diabetes Can Damage Your Feet
The blood vessels in your feet and legs can harden due to diabetes, which results in decreased blood flow to your feet. If left untreated, this can develop into peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. PAD combined with neuropathy is very dangerous, as you may not recognize the symptoms of PAD quickly enough to seek help from a foot specialist. If PAD is not addressed, it can necessitate amputation of your foot or leg.

Diabetes Can Change the Skin and Shape of Your Feet
Diabetes can make the skin on your feet very dry, causing it to peel and crack. This makes you susceptible to foot infections. It can also cause calluses that may turn into foot ulcers over time. All of these symptoms can cause foot infections that may lead to amputation if left untreated. Neuropathy, skin damage, and poor circulation can also cause your feet and toes to change shape over time. This means that your shoes won’t fit as well, and may lead to ingrown toenails, hammertoe, and bunions.

If you’ve visited a podiatrist or a foot specialist for diagnosis and treatment of a foot problem, and have since noticed that your symptoms or ailments have reoccurred, you may be a great candidate for reconstructive foot surgery. The non-invasive treatments that were provided by your previous podiatrist may not have been effective, or you may have opted for foot surgery and found that your symptoms later returned. A podiatrist specializing in reconstructive foot surgery near Sugar Land will be able to offer you some relief.

Non-Invasive Treatments Were Ineffective
Many common foot ailments can be treated with non-invasive methods, and that is likely where any podiatrist will begin his treatment. Plantar fasciitis, ingrown toenails, heel spurs, hammertoes, ganglion cysts, and bunions can all be treated non-surgically. If non-surgical options fail and symptoms persist, your podiatrist may recommend that your condition be treated through surgery. While surgery is often a last resort in treatment, it is typically the most effective way to treat these conditions.

A Previous Foot Surgery Was Unsuccessful
Despite surgery, some foot problems can reoccur years later. Ganglion cysts and bunions can both return even after a seemingly successful foot surgery. Additionally, surgeons are not infallible, and you may find that the foot surgeon you previously visited did not perform the surgery perfectly, resulting in complications or problems. Hardware such as screws or plates that were used in your surgery may become loose or need to be replaced. Certain other conditions may return or reoccur, requiring further surgery to relieve symptoms.

You Are Suffering From Foot Pain and Loss of Function
Reconstructive foot surgery is sometimes performed as a primary treatment option for certain foot problems. If you’re suffering from intense foot and ankle pain, a deformity, or a disease that has resulted in the loss of function of your foot or ankle, your podiatrist may recommend surgery. Such foot problems include adult flatfoot syndrome, a foot or ankle fracture or break, acute stages of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, severe neuromas, and tarsal tunnel syndrome.

If you have diabetes, it is important to have a podiatrist in Sugar Land who can attend to your specific foot health needs. This video explains why diabetic individuals are at greater risk for podiatric problems.

Diabetes can damage nerve endings, making it difficult to sense pain from a foot wound. Therefore, you may not realize when you cut your foot or suffer an infection. Blood supply to the feet may also be poor due to the effect of diabetes on the cardiovascular system. So if you have a foot wound, it may take more time for your skin to heal. To ensure your wellbeing, find a foot and ankle specialist who understands the needs of diabetes sufferers. Your foot doctor can regularly check for signs of trauma or disease that may complicate your foot health.