Diabetes Management

Consider diabetes management if you’re one of the 38.4 million Americans with the disease. Routine checkups, healthy lifestyle changes, and professional wound care can keep your blood sugar from spiking and help your legs and feet stay healthy. At Laser Surgical Solutions RGV, PLLC, the vascular surgeons and wound care specialists provide diabetes management to adults in collaboration with your primary care provider. Call the office in McAllen or Rio Grande City, Texas, to schedule a diabetes management appointment, or book your visit online today.

What is diabetes management?

Diabetes management is a wound care subspecialty focused on maintaining healthy blood sugar and preventing diabetes-related complications. It combines healthy lifestyle changes, regular checkups, and personalized treatments to keep your legs and feet healthy.

Am I a candidate for diabetes management?

Consider diabetes management at Laser Surgical Solutions RGV, PLLC, if you have:

• Cuts, ulcers, burns, or blisters on your legs that don’t heal
• Dry, cracked skin
• Corns or calluses
• Ingrown toenails
• Structural abnormalities like bunions and hammertoe

Diabetes increases the risk of fungal infections like athlete’s foot and onychomycosis. If you have a history of these problems, diabetes management can help.

What happens during a diabetes management consultation?

The Laser Surgical Solutions RGV, PLLC, team tailors diabetes management to each person’s needs. However, consultations often take the same approach.

Your provider reviews your medical history and asks about your diabetes, including when it was diagnosed, which type you have, and if you take medication like insulin to manage it. They also ask about your lifestyle, including whether you drink alcohol or smoke, how often you exercise, and the diet you eat. Respond honestly, providing as much detail as possible.

Your provider examines your legs and feet, checking for skin discoloration, slow-healing wounds, cuts, and burns. They also check your toes for structural abnormalities like bunions and hammertoe.

If your provider identifies any concerns, like a diabetic ulcer, they’ll take a skin sample (biopsy) and send it to a lab for testing. Your provider might also order diagnostic imaging, like a vascular ultrasound, to evaluate circulation in your legs and feet.

What does diabetes management involve?

The Laser Surgical Solutions RGV, PLLC, team takes an integrative, minimally invasive approach to diabetes management. They could suggest:

• Prescription medication like insulin to keep your blood sugar in check
• Wound cleaning, if you have a diabetic ulcer or other open wound
• Wound debridement, to remove dead or infected tissue
• Prescription or intravenous (IV) antibiotics if you have an infection
• Custom orthotics (prescription shoe inserts) or diabetic shoes to protect your feet
• Applying bandages and ointments to promote healing
• Wearing compression stockings to support healthy blood flow
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy to speed up wound healing

In addition to specific treatments, the team recommends healthy lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco.

Call the nearest Laser Surgical Solutions RGV, PLLC, office to schedule a diabetes management consultation, or book your appointment online today.