Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetic foot care significantly reduces your risk of diabetes-related complications, including slow-healing wounds, ulcers, and diabetic neuropathy. At Go Feet in Linwood and Mays Landing, New Jersey, board-certified podiatrist Stuart W. Honick, DPM, PT, offers diabetic foot care to people of all ages. Call the nearest Go Feet office today to schedule diabetic foot care, or book your appointment online. 

What is diabetic foot care?

Diabetic foot care involves the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes-related foot problems. If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to experience foot sores, injuries, and infections.

Diabetes affects your pancreas’ ability to regulate blood sugar. Left untreated, it often causes permanent nerve damage (or neuropathy) in the legs and feet.

When the nerves in your lower extremities don’t work, you might hurt yourself and not realize it. For example, an ingrown toenail can become infected, increasing your risk of amputation.

Diabetic foot care at Go Feet provides a second line of defense. Checkups with Dr. Honick alert you to potential problems and prevent them from worsening. 

Who can benefit from diabetic foot care?

If you have diabetes, you’re a candidate for diabetic foot care. That’s particularly true if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Tingling or numbness 
• Loss of hair
• Darkened skin
• Diminished ability to feel hot or cold
• Changes to your skin or toenails
• Redness
• Pain
• Swelling

Seek treatment immediately if you have an open wound on your feet, ankles, or toes that doesn’t improve with conservative care.

What happens during a diabetic foot care appointment?

At Go Feet, Dr. Honick tailors diabetic foot care to your needs. 

He reviews your medical records and asks about your diabetes, including the type and how well you manage your blood sugar.

Then, Dr. Honick examines your feet, toes, and ankles. He checks for open wounds or ulcers and touches your feet and legs with different tools to check for tingling or numbness. If you have a diabetic ulcer, Dr. Honick collects a biopsy and sends it to a lab for analysis. 

What does diabetic foot care include?

Diabetic foot care varies depending on your symptoms and diabetes type. Dr. Honick might recommend both in-office and at-home approaches, including:

• Checking your feet daily for changes
• Visiting Go Feet annually for podiatry checkups
• Maintaining blood flow to your feet
• Smoothing corns and calluses
• Wearing socks and shoes at all times
• Multiwave Locked System® (MLS) laser therapy
• Quitting smoking
• Washing your feet daily

If you have a diabetic ulcer, Dr. Honick prescribes wound care. He removes the dead or infected tissue, cleans the wound, and prescribes antibiotics to promote healing. 

Call the nearest Go Feet office today to schedule a diabetic foot care appointment, or book your visit online.