Are you at risk for diabetes?
Take this simple online quiz to find out. |
Are you at risk for diabetes?
Seventeen million Americans have diabetes, and one in three doesn’t even know it. Left undiagnosed, diabetes may cause serious complications including nerve damage, kidney failure, blindness, increased risk of heart disease, nonhealing wounds and even death. With greater awareness, diabetes complications may be prevented.
Professionals at the St. Charles Mercy Wound Care Center, leaders in the treatment of chronic wounds, successfully treat patients with nonhealing wounds. Many of those wounds stem from neuropathy – or nerve damage - a common complication of diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), about 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of neuropathy. Even more alarming is that diabetes is the most frequent cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputations. The ADA puts the risk of a leg amputation at 15 to 40 times greater for a person with diabetes.
People with neuropathy often lose the protective sensation that signals pain and are often unable to feel if they injure themselves. Left untreated, a small cut or blister on the foot can develop into a serious wound that may become infected and ultimately result in amputation.
Proper foot care is a simple way to help prevent or lessen the likelihood of injuries, sores and infections. The ADA urges the following basic steps for proper foot care: - Never walk barefoot; always wear closed-toe shoes that fit properly
- Examine feet daily and use a mirror to inspect the soles
- Properly trim toenails and gently round corners with an emery board or pumice stone
- Avoid exposing feet to extreme hot or cold temperatures
- Visit a physician or podiatrist regularly to care for corns and calluses
Regular testing for nerve damage during office visits by patients’ physicians or clinical staff can help identify patients at risk for developing neuropathy.
With diabetes education and testing, warning signs that might otherwise be missed can be detected, taken seriously and evaluated. The result, says the ADA, is that the 56,200 Americans who annually experience diabetes-related amputations may be reduced by 50 percent.
The St. Charles Mercy Wound Care Center offers comprehensive wound treatment for patients with nonhealing wounds. Many nonhealing wounds are due to complications from diabetes. 86% of patients who had discussed an amputation with their physician, prior to coming into a wound care center, were able to avoid an amputation through treatment in a Wound Care Center. For more information about the comprehensive treatment available at St. Charles Wound Care Center, call 419-696-6220.
St. Charles Mercy Wound Care Center supports the American Diabetes Association (ADA) by encouraging people to find out if they are at risk for diabetes by taking this simple online quiz to help determine your risk factors for diabetes.
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