Diabetes and our Feet
Diabetes is a condition that is becoming more prevalent in today’s society. There are three main types of diabetes, type 1, type 2 and gestational.
When someone has diabetes, their body can’t maintain healthy levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose is a form of sugar, which is the main source of energy for our bodies. Unhealthy levels of glucose in the blood can lead to long-term and short-term health complications.
These complications can be detrimental to your health. A lot of the complications found in diabetes can affect the feet. These symptoms include:
- Burning, tingling or numbness in the feet
- Reduced blood supply to the feet
- Risk of ulceration
- Dermal changes such as tinea or dry cracked heels
If you are reading this thinking, ‘I have diabetes, what should I do next?’
Booking an appointment to a podiatrist at Pursue health can help determine how healthy your feet are, and whether you are at risk of complications. A management plan can be set for you to reduce pedal complications.
A neurovascular assessment can be performed at your podiatry consultation. These assessments include a Doppler ultrasound reading, temperature testing, nerve testing and education. This information is stored on your patient file and used to monitor any changes to your foot health in the future.
People with diabetes can be eligible for Chronic Disease Management (formerly enhanced primary care EPC). Your GP can determine whether you are eligible and a referral can be made to your podiatrist where Medicare may cover part of the consult or the full consultation fee (bulk bill). A large benefit to the Chronic Disease Management plan is the increased communication between your podiatrist and GP so both practitioners are aware of your foot health and knowledge around diabetes.
Written by our very own awesome Podiatrist, Riley Irving.
