DIABETES

Diabetes is a condition of the endocrine (hormone) system where the body fails to utilise insulin effectively to take glucose from the blood and deliver it to the organs and tissues. People with diabetes need to be very careful with their food intake to be sure they are not consuming too much sugar for their system to deal with. If a persons’ blood sugar levels get too high they can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels and nerves.

When high blood sugar affects nerves and blood vessels they loose their ability to function. This is to the detriment of literally the whole body. This is why a person diagnosed with diabetes is often referred to other professionals and specialists such as:

  • Podiatrist (lower limb professional)
  • Optometrist (eye professional)
  • Dietitian (diet professional)
  • Diabetes Educator
  • Diabetes Nurse
  • Endocrinologist (hormone specialist)

A podiatrists’ role is to improve your foot health and awareness through assessment and consultation. Podiatrists can assess your blood vessel function and the delivery to the feet. This will let you know whether you will heal quickly from wounds or slowly. Podiatrists will also check the sensation in your feet and tell you how at risk you are of injuring yourself without feeling the moment of trauma. You can see how dangerous any loss of the above functions can leave your feet exposed to serious trauma, infection and possibly even amputation. The statistics speak for themselves,  foot problems are 2 times more likely in people with diabetes while 50% of all cases of gangrene are seen in people with diabetes.

So treat diabetes seriously and educate yourself. Go to the following links below to get started:

https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/

The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is an initiative of the Australia Government administered by Diabetes Australia. The NDSS delivers diabetes-related products at subsidised prices and provides information and support services to people with diabetes. Registration is free and open to all Australians diagnosed with diabetes.