Diabetic Foot Care

Are you a diabetic patient? If you are, there is a lot of good that a podiatrist can do for you. Podiatrist can check your feet and ensure that you don’t have any additional problems that are affecting your feet as a result of the diabetes. Diabetes can cause conditions such as neuropathy, ulcerations and poor healing.

Neuropathy is a condition that results due to damage to your nerves. When your sugar is consistently too high, it causes your blood to not run as well and causes your nerves to not function properly. You will start out feeling tingling and shooting pains. Eventually, this will progress to the inability to feel things touching your feet. This can result in a lot of damage, because if you don’t feel something like a rock in your shoe, you can end up rubbing a blister or even an ulcer on your foot.

Another problem that can result from diabetes is poor blood flow. It is important that you regularly have your pulses checked. This is the first signal that will show your doctor that you may need further tests to make sure that you are getting enough blood and nutrients to your feet. If you are not, this can end up cutting off blood from your feet and end up causing ulcers.

Another issue is that sometimes, you may not be able to see your feet well due to damage to your eyes from your diabetes. In this situation, it is really important to see your podiatrist, because they will be able to check your feet for any ulcers or ingrown toenails.

We offer a free book from our office that outlines diabetic foot problems and treatment. You can order it from our website. So, if you or someone you know has diabetes, you should seek help from your podiatrist. If you live in the Tewksbury or Reading, Massachusetts area, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help inspect your feet. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.

Diabetic Foot Care

Why is it so important to have a podiatrist if you are diabetic? Diabetics have a greater predisposition to have diabetic foot problems, such as neuropathy and ulcers. In order to determine if you have a possibility of getting these conditions, your podiatrist will perform specific diabetic tests.

Some of these tests include using a monofilament, the same as fishing line, to determine if you can feel pressure on the bottom of your foot or the top. This allows us to see if you have feeling in your foot or not. If you do not then it means that you do not have any feeling on the bottom of your foot and if you have a pebble or something else in your shoe then you will not be able to feel it. That means that if you can’t feel it, you won’t realize that it hurts and you can rub an ulcer on your foot.

Another test uses a tuning fork to determine if you can feel vibration. This is one of the most important tests for a new diabetic, because vibratory feeling is the first feeling that will leave your feet. It is a way for us to gauge if you are already starting to experience the signs of neuropathy. If you are, then there are some medications that you can be given, that will help to slow down the development of neuropathy. As of right now, there is no cure, unfortunately.

If you do have neuropathy, then it is especially important for you to come in for your diabetic check-ups. Since you cannot feel your feet, if you do not look at the bottoms of your feet then you may never see that there is an ulcer on the bottom of your foot. The longer that an ulcer is open on your foot and not being treated the more likely you are to develop an infection.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with diabetes then it is important that you come in for an initial evaluation with a podiatrist. If you live in the Dracut or Chelmsford, Massachusetts area, then Dr. Wachtel’s staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.

Why is my Foot Changing Shape?

There is a condition that is called Charcot foot which although rare, it can occur in diabetic patients. It is a process where your bones will actually break down and rebuild themselves into a new formation. You can think of it the same way you think of a little kid with a set of legos that builds up one object and then takes those same legos and builds something else.

When this process begins to happen, your foot will get red and hot. One of the ways that we are able to tell this condition is occurring is to check the temperature of your legs and feet and compare them to one another. If it is determined that you do have Charcot, all we can really do is wait until your body has gotten through the acute stage and is remodeling itself. Once your foot has settled down, we are able to begin to take action.

Depending upon the shape of your foot, there is a boot called a CROW boot that is specifically made for people with Charcot. This boot is actually molded to your foot to help protect it from additional pressure and prevent you from forming an ulcer in an area of increased pressure. This boot will also serve as an extra form of protection for your foot from external things like stubbing it into a door.

However, in some instances, you may develop a pressure point in an area where the bone is protruding outward. In this case, you may need to have a surgery to remove this extra bump to help prevent you from getting an ulcer. These procedures are straightforward in that the bump will be removed and then you will be fitted for a CROW boot or a diabetic shoe dependent upon the appearance of your foot after the surgery.

In some cases, more in-depth surgical procedures will need to be performed if the arch of your foot collapses. In these cases, your podiatrist will discuss with you the proper surgical procedure for your type of foot.

If you notice that one or both of your legs is red, hot and swollen, please go and see your podiatrist immediately. There are several conditions that can cause your foot to appear this way and we do not want the condition to become worse if it can be avoided. If you live in the North Reading or Reading, Massachusetts areas, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help you determine the cause of your foot condition. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.

Diabetic Sugar Friendly Holidays

The holiday season is here and with all of the cheer that is present all around, we are all clinging close to our family and one of the best ways to do that is through cooking. Now, there are many different cultures in our country and each one has their own unique set of recipes and traditions. One thing that is pretty consistent amongst all holiday recipes is sugar. And not only is there some sugar, there is an overabundance of sugar in multiple forms including, white sugar, brown sugar and flour.

So, you might be wondering why a podiatry blog would be concerned with holiday cooking. Well, that answer is a simple one: diabetes. As many of you know, diabetes is a condition where your body is not able to process the sugar that it takes in. Unfortunately, for a diabetic, all of the sugar that is available at Christmas can mean that their sugar levels can be through the roof. Now, you are probably thinking so what, they can just take an extra shot or pill and it will bring their sugar levels back down. This may be true for the sugar number for the moment, but it does not help their kidney health, eyesight or their capability to heal an ulceration on their foot. All of these aspects can’t be so easily fixed with a pill or a shot.

What can be done to help a diabetic around the holidays? Well, having a sugar free option for dessert is always a great addition to your sweets table. With all of the recipes available from food network these days, it is really easy to find a delicious sugar free treat. Another thing that will help everyone is to put the food away right after you are done eating. Rather than sitting down to watch tv right away, putting the food away will help to prevent munching, which is not only good for sugar, but also great for the waistline.

To learn more about diabetic care, we offer a book on our website for free that talks about diabetic care and the ins and outs of everything you need to know. Also, if you are in the Tewksbury, Dracut or North Reading, Massachusetts areas, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help you with all of your diabetic foot care needs. We are also happy to announce our North Andover office, located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845.

National Diabetes Day

This past week was National Diabetes Day. In honor of that day, msn.com released a list of things that you can do to help prevent or improve your diabetes. Among these items were several things that we talk about regularly and also several items that are a little less known. So, let’s talk about diabetes and what you can do to make life a little easier.

First off, there is that word that so many of us dread…exercise. It has been shown in studies that just 20 minutes of exercise can reduce your HbA1C. Your HbA1C is the number that tells you what your average sugar has been over the past several months. It is a good way to gauge how you have been doing day-to-day as opposed to just an individual number each morning that can be affected by a number of things.

Second, your diet greatly affects what your HbA1C level is. By simply eating more vegetables and less sugar and processed foods, you can decrease your numbers significantly. By choosing a healthy diet, you will also be able to lose weight.

The third one that we always hear is that you should be religious about checking your blood sugar levels. If you are not checking your sugar everyday, you will not be able to know when you need to adjust your food intake. If your sugar levels are low or high, both ends can be very dangerous. In order to prevent this, careful monitoring of your sugars is necessary.

Now, for a more obscure suggestions that were presented. Cinnamon, is said to decrease your sugar levels. However, there have been studies that have shown that too much can lead to dangerously low sugar levels. In order to prevent this, if you choose to use cinnamon as a way to reduce your sugars, then you will need to carefully monitor your sugars.

The most important thing to take home about diabetes is that it is a condition that can lead to many more health conditions. So, it is important to keep your sugar under control in order to prevent these additional conditions. We offer a free book on Diabetes that can be ordered by visiting our website. If you or someone you know has diabetes, our office would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment and you can contact us at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel serves the Methuen, Reading, Dracut and Tewksbury, Massachusetts areas.

Halloween Candy and Diabetes

Happy Halloween to all of you that celebrate! Today is the day that we pass out candy to all of the witches and goblins that come to our door. For those of you that are diabetic though, this can be a rough holiday to get through because of all of the sweets. Lots of sugar is the worst nightmare for a diabetic because it can send their sugar shooting through the roof. So, why exactly is sugar bad for a diabetic?

Diabetes can be thought of as a gateway disease because it opens the door to diseases affecting your heart, nerves, arteries, eyes and many other parts of your body. So, how do you prevent these body parts from being affected? Well, that answer is simple, keep your sugar down. By keeping your sugar within its normal limits you are decreasing the affect that is had on your body. There are many other ways to reduce the effects of diabetes on your body.

By adding exercise to your routine, you can begin to work to lose weight which will help to control your sugar levels and your diabetes. Exercise has become a word that brings negative connotations to many people. However, starting exercise can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car at the end of the Wal-Mart parking lot to walk into the store, going for a daily walk with your significant other or taking a walk around the office to stretch your legs.

Another great way to help your diabetes is to stop smoking. If you are a smoker, each time you smoke your blood sugar increases. Smoking also causes further damage to your blood vessels and nerves only exacerbating the effects of diabetes. By quitting smoking, you greatly decrease the likelihood of these other medical conditions.

Finally, monitoring your glucose daily allows you to gauge how you are doing with your diet and medications. If you are noticing that you are eating healthy foods and leaving as much sugar out of your diet as you can, you will know that you need to see your physician in order to assess your diabetic medications. It will also allow you to adjust your eating to keep your glucose within normal limits.

If you or someone you know is a diabetic patient, it is important that you form a relationship with a podiatrist to help prevent ulcers, infections, diabetic neuropathy and other conditions that result from diabetes. Our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment, and we can be reached at (978) 794-8406. Dr. Wachtel will be happy to help you make the necessary adjustments to keep diabetes from controlling your life. Our offices serve the Tewksbury, Beverly, Billerica or North Andover, Massachusetts areas.

Diabetic Ulcers

Diabetic ulcers are often the result of diabetic neuropathy, a condition that results in the inability to feel pain or pressure. Not being able to feel this pain means that something as little as a pebble or a stick can get inside of your shoe and you won’t be able to feel it. The constant rubbing of your foot against the item in your shoe can result in a wound that can affect as little as the top layer of skin and extend as far as down to the bone. The farther that your injury extends, the greater the likelihood that the wound can be infected and potentially lead to an amputation.

One of the many reasons it is important for a diabetic patient to be working with a podiatrist is to allow for annual check-ups of your feet. Many times, a person may not examine all of the parts of their feet thoroughly. This can result in a wound that someone may not even notice.

Once an ulcer is found on a diabetic patient, it is very important to treat it aggressively. A lot of diabetics do not have as good of blood circulations as people who do not have diabetes. As a result, it is much harder for people to heal an injury. This means that they will require a greater amount of observation and treatment.

Diabetic ulcers require a good deal of removing the dead tissue to allow for new tissue to grow and cover the wound. The ulcer site needs to be cleaned out with a large amount of fluid to help remove any bacteria or germs that are inside the ulcer. Depending on how deep the injury site is, it may be necessary to take a biopsy from the site to determine if there is an infection that needs to be treated more aggressively with prescription medications that are specific to the type of bug in your wound. The wound then needs to be properly wrapped and protected from the environment.

If you or someone that you know has diabetes and would like to see a podiatrist, our office staff would be more than happy to help you set up an appointment with Dr. Wachtel. If you live in the Methuen, Bradford, Lowell or Tewksbury, Massachusetts area, please give us a call and we would love to help you get back up on your feet.

The Truth About Diabetes

So, what is with all the hype about diabetes? Diabetes is a condition where your body is unable to process the sugar obtained from your daily diet, glucose. Insulin is substance inside your body that processes sugar. When it is not present or it does not work, your body is unable to process the sugar and it builds up inside of you. When this happens, your body is not receiving the energy that it needs to make it work. The extra sugar is floating around inside your body and is eventually let out of your body in your urine.

Not processing the sugar that is inside your body can lead to a wide array of symptoms including neuropathy (the inability for your feet to feel pain or pressure), kidney disease, high blood pressure, blindness and heart disease. Any one of these conditions can be debilitating, but a combination of all of them can lead to many health conditions. This is why it is so important to control your sugar by using the treatments that your physician prescribed for you and eating a healthy diet.

Diabetes is a condition that gradually develops new conditions throughout the years. The more uncontrolled your sugar is the more quickly your conditions will develop. By keeping your sugar within the recommended range your doctor suggests, you will be able to drastically slow down the effects of your condition. It is very important that once you are diagnosed with diabetes that you maintain a close relationship with a podiatrist. Through routine foot check-ups, your podiatrist will be able to gauge the rate at which your condition is progressing and make appropriate recommendations to prevent any additional complications including ulcerations and amputations that are commonly caused by diabetic neuropathy.

Each of the above conditions can be treated through the joint effort of your podiatrist and primary care physician. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with diabetes, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Through the patient physician relationship that you can form with Dr. Wachtel, he will be able to help you find the best ways to manage your condition and lifestyle. If you live in the Lowell, Methuen, North Andover or Bradford Massachusetts area, please give us a call and we would love to help you get back up on your feet.

Diabetic Foot: Neuropathy

Diabetes is a condition that affects the entire person. Your entire body is dependent on glucose to provide your system with the necessary energy to make it work. However, when insulin is not functioning in your body, this energy cannot be processed and used from your food. When blood sugar levels are high, it can lead to conditions such as neuropathy from nerve damage.

Neuropathy is a condition that causes tingling and eventually numbness in your feet and legs. This can be a very scary feeling for someone because you no longer can feel what is touching your feet. This can lead to ulcers forming as a result of a rock or any extra item getting inside of your shoe. For most people, when something gets inside of your shoe, you can feel it, remove it and move on, but for a neuropathic person, they can’t feel the item in their shoe and will continue to walk around with it and potentially causing a great deal of damage.

The most beneficial thing a neuropathic patient can do is look at their feet. At simple as this may seem, looking at your feet to see if there are any sores or open wounds on your feet. It is also important to look at the bottom of your feet. Standing and looking down at the top of your feet is not enough, a full visual exam is important, in order to be proactive and prevent ulcers from progressing to the point of infection that would require amputation.

It is also important to see your podiatrist on a regular basis. The podiatrist will be able to monitor the changes in your diabetes and inform you of any new precautions you need to be taking. If an ulcer does occur that you notice during your visual exam or that the podiatrist sees will need to be aggressively treated. There are several different ways that an ulcer can be treated including off-loading the area to decrease pressure on the ulcer, debriding an ulcer to remove the dead skin to promote healing, cleaning the wound and possibly using a skin graft to promote healing.

Diabetic ulcers are a condition that should be taken very seriously. If you live in the North Andover, Methuen, Bradford, Lowell or Boston Massachusetts area and you have diabetic neuropathy, our office staff would be happy to help you set up an appointment to see Dr. Wachtel. After your initial visit, an individualized plan can be made to help you be successful with your diabetes.  

Paula Deen and Diabetes

This past week, Paula Deen made a public announcement that she has diabetes. Although this did not come as a surprise to many people, especially those who watch her show, it has brought a lot of attention to both her and the diabetic community, both positive and negative. The reality of it is, the majority of her recipes, including her Gorilla Bread that contains a full stick of butter, brown sugar, sugar, condensed milk, crescent dough, chocolate chips and bananas are just not diabetic friendly. Now, let’s not give bananas a bad rap for just being a part of this recipe. They are a great source of potassium to strengthen your bones and a healthy source of fiber that serves to keep you regular. However, when they are lumped in with everything else, there positive results are masked by all of the other ingredients. Although Paula Deen preaches moderation for her recipes, the reality is that for a diabetic patient this recipe is just asking for trouble, no matter how little of it you eat.

Diabetes is a condition where a person is not able to properly process sugar. In the case of Type II Diabetes, over time your body develops a resistance to insulin, the molecule that helps your body process sugar. So, as a result, your body still has insulin, but it is just not functioning. So, the medications that are prescribed to Type II Diabetics serve as a sort of jump start to the body allowing the insulin to work, as well as decreasing the amount of sugar that your body takes from the food you eat. Medications are often the last resort though because it has been shown that diet and healthy lifestyle can help control sugar levels in many people. So, this is why that delicious sounding Gorilla Bread is just not the best choice for diabetics.

Now, the harsh reality of it is that most people, who develop Type II Diabetes, develop it later on in life. This means that you have already figured out the foods that you like and will crave these items as a result of human nature. The truth is that one piece of chocolate cake is not going to kill you, but when you add that to the other high sugar meals you want to eat the rest of the week, they just might. Diabetes can be described best as a gateway disease, because once you are diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol problems, eye disease, poor blood circulation, feet swelling and ulcers can be just around the corner unless you control your condition. Losing weight through exercise and healthy eating has been proven to make a huge difference in the condition of diabetics and greatly reduce the risks for all of the aforementioned conditions. But let’s be honest, we are all going to slip at some point, but the key is that the vast majority of the time you must be conscientious of what you are putting in your body so that you can be the very best you.

It's all about the Diabetic Shoes

There are many things that need to be considered with a diabetic patient. There is the diet, the medicine and the exercise to consider. However, we can’t forget the shoes! As diabetes progresses, there is the possibility that people can develop peripheral neuropathy. This condition affects the nerves of the foot. Once diabetic neuropathy sets in, it is difficult for a person to feel anything in their shoe. This can be anything ranging from a pebble to the actual construct of the shoe. Therefore, it is important that a diabetic have specially designed shoes to prevent injuring their feet.

A diabetic shoe is specially designed to accommodate the patient’s foot. They are measured to properly fit the foot size and are often a bit wider and deeper to prevent rubbing that many of us experience on our heels or toes. The wider area for the toes prevents the toes from being squeezed together. This avoids any blisters from forming between the toes. Diabetic shoes are often wider so that they can also accommodate diabetic inserts. These inserts are made with softer materials that prevent rubbing and calluses. The material is also breathable which encourages good air circulation to prevent ulcerations and blisters. The shoes also do not have any interior seams to avoid rubbing on their feet.

It is important for a diabetic patient to come into the office and be properly fitted for their custom shoes. Blisters on a diabetic’s foot can quickly evolve into ulcers that take a long time to heal. Due to the reduced circulation within a diabetic’s legs and feet, the cells that aid in healing are not able to get to the site of injury. Due to this delayed healing, it is important to prevent the injury from occurring. These shoe adaptations will help you to reach that goal and help you to stay healthy.

Top 5 New Year’s Eve Diabetic Resolutions

#5 Making Dietary Changes

For people with diabetes, it is important to watch your diet very carefully. We all know that diabetics are not supposed to eat a lot of sugar. However, it is very difficult to change your diet so drastically after so many years of eating your favorite foods. Luckily, we live in a day and age where the foot network makes food better than ever. Along with this, they make food alternatives that that are healthy eating and low sugar/sugar free recipes. So go ahead, try some of your favorites in their new revamped style. You will probably love them just as much and make some new favorites.

#4 Starting a Weight Loss Program

As with most conditions, being overweight exacerbates the problems. For diabetes, you often have the initial condition but then progresses to often include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, neuropathy, poor circulation and many other conditions. By losing weight, you reduce your risk of developing these other conditions. Losing weight can be a difficult endeavor because so often you try and go all or nothing. Some of the best weight loss programs stress that it is a life-style change rather than a temporary change. As with anything though, you start slow. Whether this means that you cut soda out of your diet, change your coffee from the fancy kind with the whip cream and caramel and everything else to straight coffee, or replacing a candy bar with an apple, these small changes can lead to big results.

#3 Checking Your Sugar on a Daily Basis

For a diabetic, their blood sugar numbers provide insight into how they are doing. If you do not know what your numbers have been, then you have no idea as to how you are doing. Watching your sugar will allow you to make the necessary adjustments to keep you out of the danger zone. You will then be able to adjust your diet and lifestyle as needed to help you get back into your target zone or speak with your physician to discuss your medications or other treatment plans.

#2 Exercise

Exercise is different than just a weight loss program. It has actually been shown to improve insulin resistance helping your body to better react to glucose. Exercise is another misnomer, because many people think that you need to be a marathoner to get a good workout. Exercise can be something like walking around the block, taking the stair instead of the elevator or playing in the yard with the kids. Anything that you can do to increase your heart rate and get the blood flowing will make a huge difference.

#1 Form a Relationship with your Podiatrist 

Research has shown that diabetics that have a relationship with their podiatrist are much less likely to have an amputation. This is because your feet are being regularly checked to see if there are any open wounds that need to be taken care before they become ulcerations. They will also be able to watch for changes in your feet to analyze blood flow, nerve conduction and your skin health.  

The Prosthetic that Saved a Young Elephant's Life

In recent news, it was reported that a young elephant, Chhouk, in Cambodia has received a prosthetic foot. After being found in a trapper’s patch, the elephant’s leg was severely injured and required 6 of the 8 inches of his leg be removed. With his new leg, he has been given a second chance with childhood and has been able to run through the forest and play with the other elephants. It is a sweet ending to such a terrible event.

Prosthetics are a medical breakthrough that has allowed many people to get back up on their feet again. Amputation, although often looked at as a terrible outcome, is a way to save a person from the dead tissue of their body extending further upward eventually affecting vital organs and resulting in death. Tissue death can result from many complications, including frost bite, ulcers, and trauma. The ability to be mobile is a requirement for many of life’s daily activities. For some, this is achieved by use of a wheelchair or a scooter, but for many, this involves walking on your own two feet. It allows us the ability, like Chhouk, to go running through the woods.

We have all seen the amazing stories of the young kids who will get two prosthetic legs and then complete marathons, play soccer, and live out their dreams. However, these are not the only type of prostheses. There are partial foot and total foot prosthetics available. This is because not all amputations require the leg to be taken off up to the knee. The podiatrist you are working with will work to conserve as much of your leg as possible giving you the quickest recovery possible.

There are also different types of prosthetics that allow different levels of range of motion. Depending on your activity level, the prosthetic that will help you maintain your daily routine will be selected. An important thing to remember is that through working with a podiatrist, many amputations can be avoided, especially those from ulcers. Your podiatrist knows the importance of your foot to you and your lifestyle and is committed to exhaust all other options before suggesting an amputation. In the case of Chhouk though, it was necessary, and modern medical science has saved his life.

Why Can't I Feel My Feet: Diabetic Neuropathy

The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it comes all of the decorations, parties and cheer. There is also grandma’s famous fruit cake, mom’s delicious fudge and dad’s fireside s’mores. Once we get started with Halloween, it’s just one delicious treat after another. Let’s not forget the important ingredient that is in all of these delights though, sugar, and lots of it. Now anything is good in moderation, but for a diabetic, this is can be a difficult time of year.

Diabetes is a condition that plagues 8.3% of our countries population, and the numbers are steadily rising. We’ve all seen the scary pictures of the diabetic patient, but the good news for you is that diabetes is something that can be controlled. It is also a topic that has had a large amount of research put into it and there have been several quick tests that can be done by your podiatrist to monitor the condition.

An important thing that we are concerned about in people with this condition is Diabetic Neuropathy. This is just fancy medical terminology to say that the nerves of the foot are not working properly and you can’t feel something touching your foot. As a result, you can’t feel pain in your foot. So, your first thought is great! Nobody likes pain, but pain is your body’s warning sing that something isn’t right. Think about when you are walking down a trail and a piece of gravel gets stuck in your shoe. It’s annoying, but it’s not a big deal, because you’ll just stop, remove it and be on your way. For a diabetic patient who doesn’t feel the gravel, they will keep it in their shoe because they don’t even know it is there. This can lead to blisters and ultimately open sores on their feet that they won’t even know are there.

This is where a podiatrist comes into the picture. Through several quick, non-invasive tests, a podiatrist can determine if the patient has lost sensation in their foot and determine how far up their leg it extends. Then, through periodic check-ups, a close eye can be kept on the person to make sure they don’t develop ulcers. If they do, then the podiatrist will be able to take quick, aggressive actions to heal the wound as quickly as possible and prevent drastic surgeries. New data has shown that diabetic amputations can be prevented 85% of the time through working closely with your podiatrist to maintain the health and well-being of your feet and legs.

Diabetes is a long-term disease that requires a significant amount of teamwork between the patient and their physician. However, this does not have to be a condition that controls your life. The sooner that you form a partnership with your podiatrist, the better your results will be.