Diabetes is a serious and life-threatening condition that can affect foot health. Diabetic foot is a common result of uncontrolled diabetes and needs specialized treatment. Uncontrolled glucose levels can damage nerves, and the earliest symptoms are often felt in the lower extremities. As a diabetic, you may experience pain, numbness, or tingling in your feet. In addition, you may lose sensation in your feet, and you may not notice broken skin or wounds that develop in the area. Combined with slow wound healing, which is another effect of diabetes, the risk of wounds turning into serious ulcers and becoming infected is high. As a result of this, healthy tissues can get damaged and essentially die in the lower extremity, also known as gangrene.
For expert care for your diabetic foot and to reduce the risk of complications, choose a board-certified podiatrist or foot and ankle surgeon for your care. This doctor is an important part of any diabetic’s healthcare team.
In this article, we will discuss what a treatment program for a diabetic foot is like and where you can go in Warwick or Middletown, Rhode Island, or Fall River, Massachusetts.
Treatment Program for Diabetic Foot
The first step is to assess your foot health. The podiatrist will inspect your feet for any signs of problems. Any minor issues such as corns and calluses, bunions, fungal infections, cuts, and scrapes will be treated by the doctor. Any skin issues can easily lead to infections and should be treated early and appropriately. The doctor will also check for poor circulation and nerve damage through vascular assessments.
A foot and ankle surgeon is trained in proper diabetic wound care, which may include draining pus, removal of dead tissue, and the application of antibiotics and special bandages. For slow-healing wounds, orthobiologics, which are substances that speed up wound healing, may be used. The goal of proper wound care is to speed up wound healing and minimize the risk of complications.
Your doctor will give you personalized recommendations to help prevent issues, such as controlling your blood glucose levels and wearing properly fitting diabetic shoes. Podiatrists can fit you with Medicare-approved shoes and sneakers, which are custom-molded and feature extra depth, which can make a big difference in your daily life. They also teach diabetic patients how to check their feet daily for cuts and sores, keep feet moisturized, and other tips for avoiding injury to the foot. Additionally, for peripheral neuropathy, podiatrists can prescribe different medications to make the symptoms more manageable.
If necessary, foot and ankle surgeons can also perform limb salvage surgery, with the goal of preserving the function and appearance of the limb. The procedure is typically performed by a team of medical professionals and usually includes debridement (removal) of diseased tissue and reconstructive surgery.
Diabetic Foot Treatment in Warwick or Middletown, Rhode Island, or Fall River, Massachusetts
Our board-certified foot and ankle surgeons at the Foot & Ankle Institute of New England are highly skilled in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot. This is one of the podiatry conditions we regularly treat in our clinics, and our doctors can expertly respond to complications, including performing limb salvage surgery. We can give you exactly what you need in terms of foot and ankle care – which is state-of-the-art treatments and highly skilled experts.
To consult with one of our podiatrists, call our podiatry office nearest you or use our convenient online request form.
