Diabetes is a medical condition where the sugar in the blood is not absorbed and passes out of the body. Insulin is the hormone that helps the body to absorb this sugar. In patients that have diabetes they are either insulin resistant or don't produce any insulin at all.
There are three types of diabetes, type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The patient's own body attacks the cells that produce insulin. Subsequently, the body does not produce insulin so the patient must take insulin to live. The onset is usually sudden in nature. Symptoms include increased urination and thirst, hunger, weight loss, blurred vision and fatigue.
Type 2 diabetes is associated with age, obesity, family history, physical inactivity and ethnicity. These patients are usually insulin resistant. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes are similar to those with type 1, but sometimes have no symptoms at all. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. Some of these patients may go on to develop diabetes in the future.
Diabetes can affect the feet in many ways. The patient may experience numbness, tingling or burning to the feet. The patient may develop dry, cracked skin, sometimes leading to wounds on the feet. The nails may become thickened and discolored. Limited ability to fight infection and a decrease in the circulation may also occur.
It is very important that a patient that does have diabetes see a podiatrist at least once a year for an evaluation. In addition, any concerns a patient may have about their feet should be evaluated by the podiatrist to prevent future problems. Foot and Leg Healthcare has specially trained physicians to treat patients with diabetic foot concerns.
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