Diabetic? You Can’t Ignore Foot Ulcers!

Diabetic foot ulcers can start ordinarily. It might be a new pair of shoes or taking an extra-long walk, and the next thing you know, you have a small blister on your foot. But the real problem begins when you lose feeling in your feet. And a small sore can morph into a more serious wound. Because March 24th is American Diabetes Alert Day, today Dr. Ross Cohen of The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland in Anne Arundel County, Maryland is sharing information regarding diabetic foot ulcers and how to prevent them.

Tips For Preventing Foot Ulcers

Monitor your blood sugar. The most effective way to avoid diabetic foot ulcers is to keep your blood sugar levels at proper levels. Glucose that is not controlled is often right behind neuropathy, which causes a loss of feeling in the feet, allowing a sore to be overlooked.

Show your feet some love. It’s important to inspect your feet daily if you have diabetes. Detecting a sore early can go a long way in averting major issues. If you can’t see the bottoms of your feet try putting a mirror on the floor and holding each foot over it or ask a family member to help.

Why Are Foot Ulcers So Serious?

The soft tissue of the foot is different than that on other parts of the body, so an infection can reach the bone and muscle rather quickly. Poor blood flow and infection can result in more serious complications.

And that infection is what can lead to amputation, so you need to see your podiatrist immediately if you think you may have a foot ulcer. Your podiatrist may order an X-ray, and perhaps an MRI, if your ulcer is worsening to determine whether there is an infection in the bone.

It’s important to never allow a wound to linger without treatment because as time goes by, the chances of it healing diminish.

If a foot ulcer does develop, you need to keep your blood sugars under control and contact the office of Dr. Ross Cohen of The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland in Glen Burnie, Maryland to schedule a consultation.