Gulf South Foot & Ankle

This depends on how controlled a patient’s case of diabetes is. For example, a person with diabetes who 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 (thickened hardened parts of the skin) will need to see their 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 plague a large number of patients with diabetes. Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition that 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 to see a podiatrist immediately if a wound is found on your foot. The podiatrists here at Gulf South Foot & 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.