Nerve Damage

Variable blood sugar levels over a long period of time, will damage the nerve supply to your lower limbs and feet. This will eventually lead to a condition known as peripheral neuropathy (loss of protective sensation under feet). Once Peripheral neuropathy occurs, patients lose their ability to detect what is happening under their feet. In severe cases, the nerve damage can prevent patients from feeling even extreme incidents such as cuts, burns or even splinters. As they don’t feel it, the individual doesn’t tend to the area and therefore are at a high risk of infection. We can diagnose nerve damage in your feet at FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics, and provide professional diabetic foot treatment Cairns.

Reduced Bloody Supply

Poorly controlled diabetes will eventually result in decreased circulation to your feet. This is known as Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) and predisposes patients to infection following a break/cut in your skin. When blood flow is reduced to an area, the body’s ability to heal is impaired. It is this reason why cuts or abrasions that would normally heal quickly, have the potential to turn into chronic ulcers and an infection. As Podiatrists, we’re the foot and lower limb specialists. We can help.

The combination of peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease significantly reduces the ability of wounds under the foot to heal. Over time, the wound begins to break down and often gets surrounded by calloused skin. This calloused skin then further impairs the wounds ability to heal and therefore continues to break down, often under skin level and down to bone. This is known as a diabetic foot ulcer. Due to reduced circulation and the amount of pressure that is put on foot ulcers with standing/walking, the healing process is significantly impaired. Given this, there is a high risk of infection and therefore urgent medical attention is required. It is this very reason why patients with diabetes are advised to consult a Podiatrist on a semi-regular basis, in order to receive adequate education and preventative care. At FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics, we provide effective diabetic foot treatment Cairns.

• Regularly visit your Podiatrist for a general foot check-up (frequency of visits depends on your risk status – this will be highlighted at your first consultation).
• Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle in order to reduce blood sugar levels – consult your dietician for diet plans.
• Wear appropriate footwear that is fitted correctly to your feet, particularly with enough depth and width around the toe area.
• Conduct daily foot checks (if you notice any cuts/bruises, consult your Podiatrist immediately).
• Avoid tight fitting footwear.
• Clean, dry and moisturise feet daily.

Our Podiatrists are passionate about providing professional, effective diabetic foot treatment Cairns. We are familiar with the presenting conditions, and the specific needs, of our diabetic patients and are committed to delivering the highest possible level of care and management. Our thorough diabetic foot treatment Cairns includes regular assessments, using the latest in Podiatric technology including our Cairns VALD Strength Testing, to determine your level of risk and to provide us with measurable outcomes for continual monitoring. This includes:

• Doppler ultrasound to assess how strong the blood flow is from your heart down to your feet.
• A comparison of the blood pressures between your arm and ankles, this can help identify if there are any blockages in the arterial flow or if there is any hardening of the leg arteries.
• A complete neurological examination to identify if there are any deficits in sensation.
• Dermatological skin assessment to address any high-risk areas such as corns, callous or ingrown nails.
• Musculoskeletal assessment to ensure your feet are functioning well and there aren’t any high-pressure areas.
• Footwear assessment to ensure your shoes are suitable for your foot type.

Once our Cairns diabetic foot assessment is completed, we send a copy of the report and neurovascular studies to your GP. This ensures they are kept up to date with our findings. We then classify you in terms of level of risk for diabetic foot and lower limb complications and book subsequent appointments for diabetic foot treatment Cairns, according to your risk level, e.g. 12 months for low risk, 1 month for high risk. Our clinics provide effective Cairns diabetic foot treatment for a range of patients. So, if you or any of your family or friends have been diagnosed with diabetes, ask your GP for a referral to FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics, we’ll work with you to reduce your level of risk of diabetic foot complications.