Diabetes and Your Feet

How much do you know about diabetes? Diabetes is an illness that results when your pancreas fails to produce enough insulin for the body to regulate blood glucose levels effectively.

Your endocrine system is the part of your body responsible for regulating metabolism, growth, and sexual function, among other things. It comprises glands, including the pituitary gland, the thyroid, the pancreas, and more. The endocrine system manages the body by producing hormones, chemical messengers, which are carried throughout the body by the blood. Estrogen, testosterone, oxytocin, and melatonin are all hormones. So is insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to help the body regulate sugar levels in the blood. When the pancreas falters, diabetes occurs, and blood sugar levels are uncontrolled. It is diabetes.

Symptoms of diabetes include:

• increased thirst or hunger

• unexplained weight loss or weight gain

• fatigue

• blurred vision

Most important to Middlesex podiatrists Dr. Jason Grossman and Dr. Paul A. Osemene are the effects that diabetes can have on your feet. While diabetes affects the whole body, it poses particular risks to your feet.

• Diabetes can impair circulation, leaving feet feeling cold all the time.

• Numbness and tingling can occur, making it difficult to notice when small nicks and cuts occur.

• Worst of all, diabetes can make it hard for small injuries to heal. They can worsen, morphing into diabetic ulcers, deep wounds that can fester and become very challenging to heal. Hospitalization, disability, and even amputation or death can result.

Everyone – men, women, and kids of all ages – should see a board-certified podiatrist regularly for preventative care. It is even more critical for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes. If you have diabetes, you must see your podiatrist at least once each year for examination and treatment. It is the best way to spot and deal with small problems before becoming threats to your health.

Are you worried about diabetes and its effect on your foot health, or do you have another concern about the health and wellness of your feet, ankles, or lower legs? Call the friendly Advanced Feet and Ankle Care staff at (732) 679-4330 or click here to schedule a convenient appointment with Jason Grossman, DPM and Paul A. Osemene, DPM in our modern, comfortable offices in Old Bridge and Sayreville today.