How A Podiatrist Can Help You with Diabetes Related Foot Problems

How A Podiatrist Can Help You with Diabetes Related Foot Problems

Many of us who are always on the move due to job related work often ignore the pressure that we put on the feet. They are subject to a constant stress and pressure which eventually leads to foot related medical problems. In such scenarios, one needs to consult a professional podiatrist, one who is an expert in foot care and knows the best ways to treat and prevent any feet related health issues.

Feet related medical problems are more acute and common in people who have diabetes as it tends to damage the nerves, reduce blood circulation and also makes them more prone to foot infection. However, timely and professional advice by a professional and certified podiatrist can help avoid and reduce diabetes related complications to your feet.

Given their skills and training in reducing feet related medical issues, a podiatrist plays a very important role in maintaining the health of our feet and ensuring the overall fitness. We have often heard the phrase ‘prevention is always better than cure’ and it applies perfectly to this context. With proper professional advice and preventive care, one can avoid or reduce the occurrence of foot related health problems even among people with diabetes.

In this blog, we will share the ways a podiatrist can help people with diabetes, either by curing or reducing the chances of any foot related health problems.

Who is a Podiatrist?

A Podiatrist is a health professional who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of problems related to our feet, ankles and lower legs. While this branch of medicine is known as Podiatry, the health experts associated with it are known as Podiatrists. They usually receive a four-year training at universities and study about diagnosing and treating the medical conditions related to feet.

How A Podiatrist Can Help You with Diabetes Related Foot Problems

Podiatrist and Diabetes

People who are overweight are more prone to feet related problems due to the excess weight that their feet has to support and balance. The situation is complicated even further if an obese person suffers from diabetes, as diabetes tends to damage the foot nerves, reduce blood circulation, and make the feet more prone and susceptible to foot infections.

In some people, diabetes also leads to a loss of sensation in the feet due to which they are not able to feel anything. This condition, known as peripheral neuropathy, causes a total loss of sensation which could eventually lead to foot ulcers in people with diabetes, and other injuries that would, in the worst case, require the foot to be amputated.

Due to reduced blood circulation, any injuries or cuts on the feet also take a longer time to heal leading to prolonged suffering and the person requires special care so as to not further complicate the injury. Some other side effects of the reduced blood circulation due to diabetes are swelling, cramps, and pain while walking. Seeking the services of a trained podiatrist can help reduce these side effects and also prevent the same from occurring in the future.

Since diabetes also affects the body’s immune system, even a minor cut would take a long time to heal and make it more prone to infection. In such scenarios, many podiatrists will advise following a healthy lifestyle and ensuring proper feet hygiene.

Seek Professional Medical Advice Whenever Necessary

Timely and proper care of the feet will help you manage feet related medical problems in a much better way. A proper routine, hygiene, and getting regular health check-ups by a qualified podiatrist will help diagnose any potential feet related problems in the initial stage, and then they could easily be treated.

Martha Hall
Writer Martha has been with the team since she graduated from college on the top of her class years ago, and has been training new young minds on writing articles that makes it to our web pages today.