Let’s dive more deeply into some of the effects of diabetes on the feet that we touched upon in last week’s blog. We mentioned five effects: wounds that won’t heal, fungal infections, numbness, cracked heels, and weakened bones: Wounds that won’t heal. For the non-diabetic, a cut or scrape is usually no big deal and will heal quickly. That’s not…
Thirty-four million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes. Sadly, all of them are at a higher risk of health complications in ways that might surprise you. In observance of Diabetes Awareness Month, let’s look into six of these complications: Legs and feet can develop problems with circulation and nerve function. Our patients with diabetes…
Tingling, burning, or weakness in your feet are signs you may have peripheral neuropathy. What is neuropathy?Neuropathy means “disease of the nervous system.” So right away, you know that it’s a problem with your nerves. Which nerves? That’s where the term “peripheral” comes in. It refers to all nerves not located in the brain or…
What’s an ingrown toenail?With a normal toenail, the nail plate grows up and out beyond the end of the toe. In contrast, an ingrown toenail grows downward and the nail fold, or the frame of the nail, digs into the surrounding soft tissue of the toe. Who gets ingrown toenails?For some, the tendency to have…
June is International Men’s Health Month. Why do we dedicate an entire month to men’s health? For one thing, it’s common knowledge that men are more hesitant to see a doctor than women are. They’re afraid of hearing bad news. They don’t want to take time off from work. They push through the pain. But…
Maintaining healthy feet during the winter is a matter of keeping them warm and dry. Also, it’s about keeping them safe from injury, frostbite, the pain of Raynaud’s disease, and the effects of diabetes. Here are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind as we count the days until spring. Do update your sock…
It’s hard work to keep diabetes under control. Managing diabetes by regulating your blood sugar can be difficult and time-consuming. Worrying about all the complications of diabetes can be emotionally taxing. So, what if you could break down diabetes self-care into simple terms? The American Diabetes Association reminds us to break it down to our…
“There is nothing permanent except change,” a wise Greek philosopher once said. Life throws change at us all the time – including physical changes in our body. However, you shouldn’t accept all changes in your feet as normal. Changes in how your feet look, feel, or move can be signs of trouble not only in…
What have you been doing to prepare for the cold weather? Filling up the oil tank? Calling the snowplow guy? What about preparations for your own precious human body? If you’ve got diabetes, this is a crucial question. Diabetes, as our patients know well, can affect the feet in several ways: Peripheral arterial disease stops blood from…
For so many of us in northeastern Ohio, Old Man Winter hands out the same gift year after year: cracked heels. It’s not all the Old Man’s fault, however. We can take most of the credit for setting up the ideal circumstances for dry skin. Heel cracks can happen due to: Heat – once the…
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