FAQ - Diabetic Foot Care

I am a diabetic, how often should I see a podiatrist?

This depends on the how controlled a patient’s case of diabetes is. For example, a person with diabetes that has well controlled glucose levels and no foot problems at all is encouraged to see a podiatrist at least once per year for a thorough diabetic examination of their feet. A diabetic with foot conditions such as ingrown toenails and pre-ulcerative callosities (a thickened hardened part of the skin) will need to see his/her podiatrist on a much more regular basis. The recommended frequency is normally once every 3 months. Peripheral Neuropathy and decreased blood circulation are conditions that plaque a large number of patients with diabetes. Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition which causes a range of symptoms including numbness and tingling in the foot and loss of the sensation of touch in the feet. Due to the lack of sensation and decreased circulation, a diabetic may notice longer healing times for sores and other injuries to the feet. For this reason, it is very important that to see a podiatrist immediately if a wound is found on your foot. The podiatrists here at Gulf South Foot and Ankle, have many modern techniques to assist in wound healing including skin grafting and other methods. It is also very important that a diabetic patient see a podiatrist to have their nails trimmed, as it is often difficult to differentiate between the toenail and skin with poor sensation causing patients to actually cut themselves. Cutting a toenail too short can result in an infected, ingrown toenail or an open sore. With poor circulation, it is difficult to heal from these problems, resulting in long term wound care, surgery, or amputation in some worst case scenarios.

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MON - FRI 9:00AM - 5:00PM
SAT 9:00AM - 12:00 Noon

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MON - FRI 9:00AM - 5:00PM
SAT 9:00AM - 12:00 Noon
Additional appointment times available upon request