Diabetic foot care is a podiatry subspecialty that diagnoses and treats diabetic ulcers, infections, and other diabetes-related problems. 

Diabetes is a group of chronic diseases that affect your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. If your blood sugar levels remain consistently high, it increases your risk of potentially serious health problems.

Routine checkups with Dr. Hendrix can alert you to underlying issues and improve your quality of life. 

Dr. Hendrix uses diabetic foot care to treat various problems, including:

• Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
• Hyperglycemia (chronic high blood sugar)
• Weight issues
• Diabetic ulcers, and other slow-healing wounds

You might also benefit from diabetic foot care if you have diabetes and develop a bunion, hammertoe, or other foot-related abnormality.

Schedule an appointment for diabetic foot care with Dr. Hendrix if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes. That’s especially true if you experience symptoms of neuropathy or peripheral artery disease, including:

• Skin discoloration
• Hair loss on your legs and feet
• Numbness
• Pain
• Tingling
• Slow-healing wounds
• Swelling

Diagnosis and treatment can reduce the risk of complications and encourage your body’s healing process.

A diabetic foot care visit begins with a review of your medical records and a discussion of your lifestyle, including how long you’ve had diabetes, if you take any medication, and how well you keep your blood sugar in check.  

Next, Dr. Hendrix completes a podiatry exam. He will look at your lower legs, ankles, feet, and toes for redness, swelling, or open wounds. Then, gently press on the bottom of your feet with different tools to see if you have numbness. If you have a diabetic wound, he collects a biopsy sample and sends it to a lab for testing.

There’s no way to prevent diabetes-related foot problems entirely, but you can reduce your risk by keeping your blood sugar at healthy levels and checking your feet daily. Dr. Hendrix recommends regularly washing your feet, always wearing shoes and socks, and taking your diabetes medication as prescribed.