Diabetic Foot Care Specialist
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The Foot Care Group
Board Certified Podiatrist located in Libertyville, Hinsdale & Chicago, IL
Proper foot care is especially important if you have diabetes. With locations in Hinsdale, Libertyville, and the Streeterville community of Chicago, Illinois, Steven Sharlin, DPM, provides professional diabetic foot care at The Foot Care Group. Patients with diabetes are more prone to foot wounds and nerve damage. Keeping your feet healthy can significantly improve your quality of life. For a board-certified podiatrist with experience in diabetic foot care, call The Foot Care Group or schedule an appointment online today.
Diabetic Foot Care Q & A
What is diabetic foot care?
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that develops from high blood sugar levels. Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin that allows your body to use sugar for energy. If you have diabetes, your pancreas either makes too little insulin or doesn’t produce any at all. As a result, sugar builds in your blood, leading to damage in your kidneys, liver, and nerves.
Because diabetes causes nerve damage, you can lose sensation in your legs and feet. You may not notice a fresh cut or small wound until it becomes severely infected. In addition, diabetes suppresses your immune system, so your wounds can’t heal as quickly as they once did.
Diabetic foot care refers to the extra steps you take to care for your feet when you have diabetes. Along with proper at-home care, it’s important to seek professional guidance to help prevent and treat common diabetic foot injuries.
What are the most common diabetic foot injuries?
Common diabetic foot injuries that Dr. Sharlin prevents and treats at The Foot Care Group include:
- Ingrown toenails
- Calluses and corns
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Open sores
- Bacterial infections
- Infected cuts and lesions
- Slow-healing wounds
- Gangrene
- Swollen feet
Diabetics are also at an increased risk of Charcot fractures. A Charcot fracture is a break in the bones or joints in the feet that can cause dislocation. This is a rare but potentially serious diabetes complication that can end in amputation without early treatment.
Which treatments are included in diabetic foot care?
Dr. Sharlin provides personalized diabetic foot care at his office. After a full exam of your feet, which may include X-rays and other imaging tests, he can create an individualized plan that suits your needs.
Diabetic foot treatments that may be included in your personalized care plan include:
Custom orthotics
Orthotics are custom-made shoe inserts that redistribute your weight for ideal comfort and cushion when you walk. They can restore balance in your step by removing pressure and friction from areas of your feet that are especially vulnerable to injury. The Foot Care Group uses 3D scans to create models of your feet for your custom-made orthotics.
Braces
Total foot offloading is one of the most effective treatments for diabetic foot injuries, such as slow-healing wounds and sores. A brace removes pressure from your feet, allowing your injury to heal.
Wound care
If you have a diabetic foot wound, Dr. Sharlin may remove dead tissue from your ulcer to promote faster healing.
Surgery
In severe cases, Dr. Sharlin performs foot surgery to save your foot and avoid amputation. Dead tissue that reaches the underlying bone is just one example of a severe case that may require surgery.
To schedule an appointment with an experienced podiatrist, call The Foot Care Group or book online today.