Recently, the American Podiatric Medical Association has made an announcement at the beginning of a new campaign – ‘Don’t Lose Your Nerves to Diabetes’. The main purpose of the educational camp is to highlight an extremely dangerous and irreversible, yet a common consequence of having diabetes that is diabetic peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage.
Statistically, diabetes is among the fastest rising health conditions in the world especially type 2. It has been cited as a global pandemic that is becoming increasingly hard to control.
Health experts and clinicians are constantly looking for ways for the treatment of the condition. However, prevention and certain cautions should also be kept in the mind in order to avoid any further damage as well as curing the disease.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the result of fluctuations in blood sugar levels in the body. The continuous changes in the levels eventually damage the nerves, particularly the ones present in the feet.
As a result, not only do they stop functioning properly but the person may also experience numbness, burning and tingling sensations as well as pain in the feet.
In consonance with the statistics present on peripheral neuropathy, around seventy percent of the diabetic patients are diagnosed with the condition. Often, the damage caused by neuropathy is permanent and cannot be treated.
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Therefore, for anyone suffering from diabetes, visiting a podiatrist on a regular basis is fundamental and will prevent any kind of nerve damage or even stop the already occurred damage from progressing further.
Podiatrists play a significant role in the treatment of diabetes and related complications. However, not a lot of people follow a strict routine or even make an appointment with a certified podiatrist until the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy appear/become severe.
The American Podriast Medical Association is the leading organization representing podiatrists of the country at the moment. It is known for training and educating the majority of the podiatrists and specializing in conditions related to legs, feet, and ankles.
The President of APMA, David G. Edwards, DPM specifically says that any feeling of numbness in the feet is always a sign of an underlying health condition. It is never normal and a person should consult a podiatrist right away in any such occurrence.
Lack of sensations on the feet means injury or damage in the area cannot be felt by the person. To avoid such a situation, there is a need for daily self-assessment.
In case there are changes in the sensations in the feet, visiting a podiatrist as soon as possible is important. This is because not only can this increase the risk of injury to the feet but also make the damage even worse if delayed.
Don’t Lose Your Nerves to Diabetes campaign highlights a more detailed information session on diabetic peripheral neuropathy by featuring educational content on the conditions and its prevention for the general public and information on treatment for the healthcare providers.
Consequently, people who suffer from diabetes or have a relative/friend suffering from the disease will be much more aware of potential further complications such as nerve damage and its prevention as well.
