Blood Sugar Control and a Diabetic's Feet

Each week, I see several diabetic patients, and on each visit, I ask them what their blood sugar has been running when fasting. Many of the patients wonder why I am asking this if they are just coming in for nail care or heel pain or something else. Elevated blood sugars can affect the feet of diabetics in many ways: delayed healing, increased risk of infection, tingling, numbness and burning, pain, and eventually diminished circulation or blood flow. Thus, for ulcers, open wounds, broken bones, and other injuries, healing will be slower or delayed when blood sugars are elevated. Additionally, the chances of infection are dramatically increased for these same patients when blood sugars are higher than normal. For the long term, elevated blood sugars pose a significant risk for diabetic patients: nerve damage that can develop into neuropathy and numbness, increased risk of limb loss and amputation, and reduced blood flow. IT is critical that diabetic patients maintain a proper blood sugar to prevent these long term and short term problems. Also, if you are diabetic, it is important to get your feet checked regularly by a podiatrist. 708-763-0580