Diabetic Amputations- Doesn't Have To be Your Future!

Somewhere in the world, a leg is lost to diabetes every 30 seconds. Worldwide, diabetes take a life every seven seconds. Yet, preventative podiatric visits can drastically reduce life-threatening diabetic foot complications!

Whether you're one of the 24 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes or you're one of the nearly seven million Americans who don't know they have diabetes, frequent podiatric visits are no longer an option.
Diabetes affects many parts of your body, but your feet are especially susceptible. Over time, elevated blood sugar levels can impair your immune response and blood flow, leaving your lower extremities extremely vulnerable to infection, ulcers, and wounds. Once down this road, it's difficult to hit reverse.
And, just because you have an infection on your feet doesn't mean that it's going to stay in your feet. You can't afford to risk the potentially devastating effects of a fast-spreading infection.
If you don't take care of your feet, you can end up with severe ulceration- the primary factor leading to lower-extremity amputations. Fortunately, going to a podiatrist for diabetic foot care regularly has been proven to reduce this tragic outcome by as much as 85 percent.
Contact us if you or a loved one notices any tingling, redness, skin discoloration, coldness, or swelling of the feet, or if you have a blister, sore, or cut that isn't healing.
The good news is that if caught early, we can prevent and successfully treat diabetic foot complications. Keeping your legs, ankles, and feet healthy will help you stay active and healthier all over. Remember that if you're having discomfort, pain, or another problem in your feet it is often an indication of your overall health and wellness.
Anyone with an immune deficiency, poor circulation, or a nerve disorder such as peripheral neuropathy (which diabetics often have) that diminishes the feeling in your feet, can develop a dangerous infection you may not even know about.
Diabetic foot amputations don't have to be part of your future- be smart and see a podiatrist!
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Diabetes Quiz

Think you know a lot about diabetes? Take this fun quiz created by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).
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Podiatrists in Connecticut
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Diabetes By The Numbers

Diabetes: Overall Impact

• Total: 25.8 million people have diabetes--more than 8 percent of the US population.
• Diagnosed: 18.8 million people
• Undiagnosed: 7 million people
• Prediabetes: 79 million people
• New Cases: 1.9 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older in 2010.
• Health-care and Related Costs: $174 billion is spent annually on the treatment of diabetes.

Diabetes Among People 20 Years or Older

• Total: 25.6 million people, or more than 11 percent of all people in this age group, have diabetes.
• Men: 13 million, or nearly 12 percent of all men in this age group, have diabetes.
• Women: 12.6 million, or more than 10 percent of all women in this age group, have diabetes.

Diabetes in the Hispanic/Latino Community

• Total: Nearly 12 percent of Hispanic/Latino Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes. Among Hispanics, rates were:
    Cubans: 7.6 percent
    Mexican-Americans: 13.3 percent
    Puerto Ricans: 13.8 percent
• Increased Risk: Hispanics/Latinos are 66 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites.

Complications of Diabetes: Amputations

• About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage (which often includes impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion of food in the stomach, etc.). Severe forms of diabetic nerve damage can lead to lower-extremity amputations.
• More than 60 percent of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations in the US occur among people with diabetes.
• After an amputation, the chance of another amputation within 3 to 5 years is as high as 50 percent.
• The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without the disease.

Preventing Diabetes Complications

• According to a Thomson Reuters Healthcare study, the US health-care system could save $3.5 billion annually if every American at risk for developing a diabetic foot ulcer visited a podiatrist once, before complications set in.
• Comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45 to 85 percent.
• Today’s podiatrists are qualified by their education, training, and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg, and play an integral role in a diabetes management team.
• Diabetes can affect many parts of the body and can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and lower-limb amputations. Working together as a team, those with diabetes and their health-care providers can reduce the occurrence of many diabetes complications.

Connecticut Foot Care Centers 

Podiatrists in CT

Diabetic Foot Doctors in CT

Visit our website, follow our tweets on Twitter, and friend or like our page on Facebook. 

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Diabetic Foot Care FAQ's

Why should I “knock my socks off” and see a podiatrist?
The feet are said to be mirrors of our general health and can reveal diabetes warning signs such as numbness, redness, swelling, or non-healing wounds. Making at least two appointments a year with today's podiatrist, the foot and ankle expert, to have your feet examined is a critical step in avoiding diabetic foot complications and amputation.

I have been diagnosed with diabetes. What foot complications could I experience?

• A loss of feeling in your feet
• Foot ulcers or sores that do not heal
• Amputation

Should I talk about diabetes with my community, family, and friends?
Yes! It is encouraged for those with diabetes, as well as those who are at risk, to openly discuss the disease with family members. According to the International Diabetes Federation, as many as 438 million will have diabetes by 2030. Diabetes is often passed down from generation to generation, especially in the Hispanic community. Don't be embarrassed to talk about it with those closest to you because diabetes is best managed as a team.

What are diabetic ulcers and how can I prevent them?
Diabetic ulcerations are often one of the first signs of complications from diabetes in the lower leg. These ulcers can stem from a small wound or cut on the foot that is slow to heal. If left untreated, ulcers can become harder to treat and could lead to amputation. If discovered early and treated by a podiatrist, ulcers may not lead to amputation.

Can I still see a podiatrist if I don't have medical insurance?
Podiatrists work in health clinics, in addition to private practices, treating patients. Work directly with your podiatrist to create alternative options such as payment plans. Don't let a lack of insurance keep you from receiving proper foot care.
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Podiatrists in Connecticut
Diabetic Foot Doctors in CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter. 

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Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetics have many health concerns. Among them is the need to pay greater attention to their feet. Because feet are a distance from the heart. poor blood circulation and nerve impairment often caused diabetic feet to be at risk. A regular program of hygiene, common sense, and periodic foot examinations by a podiatric physician can help keep diabetics on their feet and walking. Feet with poor circulation have a harder time fighting infection and healing injuries. Complications from even minor bruises can result in serious ulcerations or even amputations. Numbness, tingling, cold feet, or a bluish discoloration are symptoms of circulatory problems. When nerves are impaired, injuries can occur without one's knowledge, such as a burn from bath water that is too hot. A program of daily foot hygiene and regular inspection are essential to good foot health. Avoidance of activities which restrict circulation such as crossing one's legs, wearing tight stockings or garters or exposing one's feet to cold temperatures is important. Smoking tobacco must be avoided at all costs. Remember to take care of your feet as one pair must last a lifetime.
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Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter.

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