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Diabetic Nerve Damage

One of the first signs that you may be developing diabetes is a condition called diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve damage caused by too much glucose in the blood. Since this nerve damage causes a loss of sensation in the feet, it can be hard to notice if you have any foot injuries that may require immediate attention to avoid infection, ulceration, and amputation.

Some of the symptoms of peripheral diabetic neuropathy include:

  • Tingling and burning sensation in the feet and hands
  • Muscle weakening
  • Problems with stability, standing, and walking
  • Unable to feel extreme temperature differences
  • Numbness

Diagnosis and treatment of diabetic neuropathy:

Your podiatrist may perform a nerve conduction study which can determine how efficiently your nerves are working. The loss of feeling from nerve damage will increase over time. Since diabetes related problems can be difficult to manage on your own, regular visits to your foot doctor and proper self care are essential.

Treatment will include following advice to decrease your blood sugar levels and protecting your feet to avoid injuries. A thorough foot care regimen needs to be followed carefully to prevent any unnecessary complications. This will include a careful daily inspection to look for injuries, cuts, and scrapes, especially on the bottoms of the feet and between the toes where an unnoticed infection can quickly lead to an ulcer.

Seeking treatment from your foot doctor early and often is the best way to avoid these possible severe situations. At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown, PA. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.

 

 

 

 

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