The specialized team at Foot Health Center in West Orange, NJ, is committed to providing the most optimal diabetic foot care to keep you standing on your own two feet.
Impact of Diabetes on Wound Healing
Do you ever wonder why people with diabetes need to have regular foot check-ups? Diabetes affects many things about your health, including your body’s ability to heal open wounds. Learn more about how and why diabetic foot care is so important in the guide below from Foot Health Center in West Orange, NJ.
Effects of Diabetes on the Feet
If you or anyone you know lives with diabetes, you know that this condition can impact many different things. One of these various things is your blood flow.
The human body has many healing processes in place so that it can take care of you when you are sick or injured. When you develop a cut or wound, it sends blood to the area to fight infection and deliver proteins that help rebuild and close the skin.
Unfortunately, diabetes tends to damage blood vessels and increase deposits of fat in them. It also causes inflammation. All of these issues can impede blood flow to the area, which puts a stop to the body’s natural healing processes.
Diabetes also impacts the nerves, which are needed to feel sensations in the body. Unfortunately, those with diabetes tend to lose sensation in their feet, meaning that they can’t feel a cut or wound like others can. Without awareness that there is an issue, no steps are taken to address it. Instead, the wound stays open and can worsen as the sufferer continues to walk around on it.
Importance of Foot Care
Due to these issues, it’s essential that people with diabetes carefully check their feet every day for any cuts or open wounds. Your medical doctor will also do an exam each time you visit. Additionally, you’ll need to visit your podiatrist regularly for a comprehensive foot exam. All of these steps provide an opportunity to identify and treat any wounds, which greatly reduces the chances of infection and amputation.
If you’re living with diabetes, don’t leave your foot health to chance. Call (973) 731-1266 to schedule a diabetic foot care appointment with our team at Foot Health Center in West Orange, NJ.