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MY BLOG

Posts for tag: Diabetes

By Sharon Barlizo
December 06, 2011
Category: Diabetes

 

According to the World Health Organization, there are over 312 million people in the United States, of which 25.8 million are diabetic, which accounts for approximately 8.3% of the children and adult population. Celebrities like Halle Berry, Jay Cutler, Aretha Franklin, and Nick Jonas have all been diagnosed with Diabetes, furthermore proving that people of any demographics are at risk.

Data from the 2011 National Diabetes Fact sheet indicates that there are 18.8 million people who have been diagnosed with diabetes, 7 million who remain undiagnosed and another 79 million who fall under the pre-diabetic category.

In 2010, there were 1.9 million new cases of diabetes in people ages 20 years and older. These statistics are staggering and the reality is that diabetes has become a disease that we can no longer ignore due to its epidemic nature.

  • Diabetes has become the leading cause of non-traumatic amputations. In fact more than 60% of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes.
  • In 2006, about 65,700 non-traumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in people with diabetes.

At Midtown Podiatry, our board certified podiatric physicians are highly trained in advanced wound care techniques and surgical procedures and offer all of our patients a comprehensive lower extremity physical examination. Our podiatric evaluation includes both vascular and sensory testing, involving the traditional and more advanced techniques for those patients who require more detailed assessments. We can offer our patients a diagnosis and their risk assessment.

Our goal is to concisely evaluate patients and determine those who are at low, moderate to high risk for developing ulceration. Our podiatrists will be able to initiate the proper treatment plan customized to our individual patient. There is strong evidence in the literature that states that proper podiatric evaluation and education for diabetic patients prevents amputation, lower limb infection and saves lives. Our role in a diabetic patient’s life is to help identify potential lower extremity preexisting conditions, structural deformity and other issues which if left untreated will lead an individual at risk for lower extremity infection, amputation, permanent disability and even death.

If you are suffering from Diabetes, make an appointment to come into Midtown Podiatry with locations in Midtown, Gramercy Park, Union Square, Wall Street and Glen Cove. Our skilled podiatrists would love to work closely with you to figure out a treatment plan that will keep your feet healthy!

 

By: Sharon Barlizo, DPM

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By Paul J. Betschart
October 19, 2011
Category: Common Symptoms

Year round our podiatrists at Midtown Podiatry treat many dermatological problems. Jay Cutler, the quarterback of the Chicago Bears, is susceptible to some of these podiatric issues since revealing in 2008 that he suffers from Diabetes.  Diabetic patients need to pay extra attention to their feet as they can really give an insight to your current health. In New York City, we are always on our feet and with the constant daily weather changes we have been experiencing lately, our feet are having to adapt to cold, warm and even wet atmospheres. Injuries, Diseases, shoes and even weather are all reasons why New Yorkers may have problems with their feet.

The following is a list of common symptoms that appear on the feet — and what they mean.

Blemishes or Spots That Develop Into Ulcers: When spots on your feet suddenly turn ulcerous, that’s a bad sign, because it’s an almost surefire indicator that you are suffering from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Unfortunately, diabetesalso causes numbness of the feet, which can mean that an ulcer can go for a surprisingly long time unnoticed — unfortunate because catching diabetes early can make it much easier to treat with diet alone rather than pharmaceuticals.

Cold and/or Blue Feet: If your feet occasionally become or are normally blue, that’s an indicator of poor circulation in the feet. In women with cold feet, this is less true — ladies seem prone to cold feet in general (ironic since it’s typically men who get cold feet in the metaphorical sense, much like Jay Cutler did with Kristin Cavallari) — but blue feet always indicate a problem. Poor circulation might mean that your shoesare too tight, but it’s actually more often an indication of a hypoactive thyroid gland, which can result in a host of other minor maladies.

Swelling of the Feet: Severely swollen feetare often an indicator of extreme hypertension, and can also be indicative of heart disease. On the other hand, they can also be a case of edema which is much less dangerous. Mildly swollen feet can mean a less extreme form of high blood pressure, or can be a sign of an infection. In any case, swollen feet are almost always a good reason to come speak with one our podiatrists immediately.

Toenail discoloration: Toenails can become discolored because of a variety of conditions that range from a fungalinfection to kidney, liver, or heart disease. A sudden change in toenail color (sudden, in toenail terms, means the discoloration becomes visible over the course of a week or so) is almost always a good reason to consult one of our physicians.

If you are experiencing any kind of abnormalities with your feet, consult one of our doctors at Midtown Podiatry, with locations in Gramercy Park, Midtown, Wall Street, Union Square and Long Island.

 

By: Paul J Betschart, DPM, MS, FACAS


 

 

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