If you have been diagnosed with Diabetes, chances are you have been advised that maintaining a stable blood glucose reading is important to your daily and long term management. One of the main aims for treatment of diabetes is to maintain blood glucose within a specific range. This range is set so that you can avoid hyperglycemic (high blood glucose levels) and/or hypoglycemic (low blood glucose levels) episodes.
Long term elevated blood glucose levels causes irreparable damage to nerve fibers and blood vessels within the feet. Nerve damage often results in numbness, tingling, hyper sensitivity and/or burning sensations within the feet. Damage to blood vessels through hyperglycemia results in the thickening of artery walls and reduced blood flow to the lower extremities. This loss of protective sensation and adequate blood flow leaves you at risk of further diabetic complications such as:
- Ulceration
- Infection
- Amputation
Regularly testing and monitoring your blood glucose levels helps you to either reinforce that your management strategy is working well, or alert you to when it requires adjustment.
Maintaining steady blood glucose levels from the beginning of diagnosis is also highly important. This is because once neurological symptoms have begun, gaining that sensation back is not possible. Once sensation is lost, it can not be recovered. Again if vascular flow becomes compromised, this further places the foot and lower limb at risk as it results in reduced healing time and greater susceptibility to injury and pathology.
The diabetic foot can be a foot at risk, but it does not have to be. Through maintaining stable blood glucose levels you reduce your risk of diabetic foot complications in the long term and help achieve a healthier future.
If you would like to book in a diabetic assessment with one of our experienced podiatrists,
Please call us on 8645 9800 or,
References:
https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/blood-glucose-monitoring
https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/foot-care
