What is the treatment for diabetic foot problems?

By Dr. Kelley Struble

‍Checking your feet on a daily basis and avoiding injuries to your feet are the best way to prevent diabetic foot problems. Keeping good control of your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels also helps slow the progression of nerve and blood vessel damage that causes diabetic foot problems. It is also best to have your feet checked by your physician or podiatrist (foot doctor) at least once a year.

If you notice redness, swelling, ulcers, blisters, corns, or calluses on your feet, then notify your physician right away. This is the best way to make sure any small wounds or infections are quickly treated before they become more serious. In many cases, antibiotics are given for treatment of infections. If a wound develops, then dressings and medications are applied to the foot in order to help the wounds heal.

A person with diabetic foot problems who develops a wound that either does not heal or develops a serious infection may sometimes need to have a surgery (amputation) performed in order to treat the problem. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you are seen by your physician as soon as you notice a problem with your foot.

Learn more in Reversing Diabetes 101 by Dr. Sarah Hallberg.