One of the most severe consequences of poor diabetes management is the potential for lower extremity amputation. If you’re a diabetic, the risks of this and other foot-related complications can be avoided if you include a highly-trained podiatrist in your care team.

The statistics reflect this: According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, seeking counsel and treatment from a podiatrist can reduce the risk of lower limb amputation by 85%, and the risk of hospitalization by 24%.

When left untreated, diabetes can inflict significant damage to your feet, including nerve damage, restricted blood flow, gangrene, sores, deformities, and ulcers. If a patient waits too long to seek help for these issues, it could be difficult to salvage the impacted limb.

Oftentimes, the warning signs of foot-related diabetic complications go unnoticed. There are areas of the foot that are difficult for us to see on our own, and if a patient suffers from numbness of the feet, they might not be aware of a festering sore, infection or other malady.

This is another reason why it’s crucial to include a podiatrist in your team of medical professionals.

After a proper evaluation, a podiatrist can help you mitigate your risks for nerve damage and other complications.