Diabetic Foot Care in Reidsville

What is Diabetic Foot Care?

Diabetes undermines feet in two ways at once. High blood sugar slowly dulls the nerves, a condition called peripheral neuropathy, so cuts, blisters, and pressure spots stop announcing themselves with pain. At the same time it narrows the small blood vessels, so whatever damage does occur heals slowly and fights infection poorly. The combination is the dangerous part: injuries you cannot feel, healing that cannot keep up. Diabetic foot care is the counterweight, built on scheduled exams that find what your feet no longer report, professional handling of nails and calluses that are risky to manage at home, and a standing arrangement to be seen fast when something new appears.

How it's diagnosed at our Reidsville office

The comprehensive exam measures what a mirror and a glance cannot. Dr. McKinney maps your sensation point by point with monofilament and vibration testing, checks the pulses and blood flow that will determine how any future wound heals, inspects skin and nails for early trouble, identifies the pressure points where calluses are building, and looks over the footwear you actually wear to work. All of it rolls up into a risk level, which sets how often you should be seen, and it's documented for your primary care doctor and your insurance.

When to see a podiatrist

If you have diabetes, a comprehensive foot exam belongs on your calendar at least once a year, the same as your eye exam, and starting them while your feet still feel normal is the whole point. Higher-risk feet, meaning any history of neuropathy, ulcers, or deformity, need visits every few months with nail care done in the office. Separate from the schedule entirely: any new sore, warm spot, color change, or swelling means call that day. With diabetic feet, the calendar never overrules a new symptom.