Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot produce insulin, or does not produce enough. Insulin helps your body use the glucose in the blood to give you energy. If you do not have the right amount of insulin or the insulin is not doing a proper job, you can get very ill. There is currently just under 4 million people with diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes, Type 1 where the body has stopped producing insulin, often starting in your early years, and Type 2 where it only produces insufficient insulin and this is more often seen in later life.

How does this affect the feet. As a side effect of diabetes the body can suffer from heart disease caused by a thickening of the arteries. Poor circulation to feet caused by this condition can under nourish the nerve ends leading to poor sensation in the feet. Any lesion or infection is less likely to heal quickly and therefore can lead to serious problems.

We have programs where we check our diabetic patients feet regularly and keep in contact with GP’s and diabetic nurses to help control the overall health of the individual.