Diabetic foot care services is a vital part of our practice. Diabetes can put your feet at severe risk of complications such as decreased circulation to the feet, nerve damage, ulceration, infections and even amputation.

In diabetes, even small injuries such as a cut, an insect bite or a blister which would normally heal itself, can linger and need treatment. They may get infected very easily.

Tight fitting, poorly ventilated shoes can easily aggravate diabetic feet. Nerve damage with numbness in the feet makes it difficult for the diabetic patient to sense damage caused by improper fitting shoes.

High blood sugar levels in diabetes make it hard for antibiotics and other medications to heal the wound quickly.

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is an extremely common circulatory condition among diabetics. Diabetes can cause the blood vessels to narrow and harden, reducing blood flow to the hands and feet. During your exam, we check the pulses in your feet and look for signs of decreased circulation. Further vascular workup is determined based on our findings and measures taken to optimize your condition.

Rather than focusing on treatment, our office emphasizes inspection of your feet daily and employs early assessment of corns, calluses, cuts and blisters before they develop into something more severe.

We provide comprehensive and preventative services (such as palliative care, diabetic shoes and diabetic inserts) alongside more aggressive interventions including wound care and limb salvage surgery.

Foot ulcers are open wounds on the skin of the foot. These tend to develop on the ball of the foot or at the bottom of the big toe, areas that absorb the most pressure when walking. Trauma and circulatory problems cause skin tissue to break down in a particular spot, creating the ulcer. It is important to examine the bottoms of your feet and in between your toes daily for signs of an ulcer.

Even if you are experiencing no pain but see an ulcer or open wound on your feet, see your doctor as soon as possible. Simple wounds may be treated in the office. Complex wounds or wounds in patients that are having additional medical issues may be referred to the UH Parma Wound Clinic. Dr. Kallibjian, the medical director of the wound clinic, will have the access to the latest wound care products and/or services to help optimize your healing potential.

Uncontrolled diabetes makes it very difficult to fight infection. That is why it is so important for diabetic patients to closely monitor the health and condition of their feet.

A blister caused by poor-fitting shoes can lead to an open sore, which may then become infected within a matter of days. Gangrene, or tissue death due to a lack of blood, can occur and can be life-threatening if it spreads.

Smoking compounds the problem. It decreases blood flow to the feet and can inhibit wound healing. In fact, many diabetic patients who undergo amputation are smokers.

In patients with advanced nonhealing wounds and infection, our goal is to save the foot and leg from amputation, also known as limb salvage.

Neuropathy is a type of nerve damage or loss of nerve function that can cause pain as well as reduced ability to feel sensations, especially in the extremities. For example, a person with uncontrolled diabetes may not realize their shoes are too tight and then develop blisters or sores. Wounds that become infected can result in tissue death (gangrene).

The nerve damage caused by diabetic neuropathy cannot be reversed, but its progression can be halted by managing your diabetes. By keeping your blood sugar levels within a normal range, patients with diabetic neuropathy can prevent additional nerve damage.

Typical symptoms of diabetic neuropathy include pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, and a loss of feeling or sensation, especially in the limbs. This loss of feeling with weakness can affect ones balance and lead to unsteady gait and falls. We screen our patients for balance issues and have them undergo gait exams to determine what treatment modality is appropriate. Treatment modalities may consist of a cane or walker, a heel lift if one limb is shorter, physical therapy to increase strength and mobility and an ankle brace to provide a strong foundation.