Surviving Diabetes – Become Familiar with PAD Signs and Symptoms

As obesity is becoming a more common disease process in America, so is the rise of Type 2 diabetes. Along with managing your blood sugar, you must be vigilant about vascular disease. As a diabetic, you need to become familiar with PAD: Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Diabetes can lead to a hardening of the arteries; combined with plaque buildup, it is a recipe for catastrophic PAD, with complications that can lead to limb loss.

The good news is that knowing this possibility allows you to monitor for it.

You need to take a multidisciplinary approach with a trusted PAD expert, like Dr. David Nabi, to prevent disastrous outcomes and complications that place you at high risk.

Monitoring ulcers for size and duration is key to maintaining arterial health and preventing amputations. Sometimes it takes just a quick and simple screening to determine your arterial integrity.

Staying one step ahead means making sure that all your doctors—like podiatry, vascular surgery, and your family medicine doctor—are working together to ensure that you are provided with the best outcome for your disease process. As a patient, you want to build your dream team of doctors that is actively monitoring you and focused on managing your disease while working actively to prevent limb loss and amputations. 

 Some things to look out for with diabetic patients include:

• wounds or ulcers that do not heal quickly or at all,

• pain when walking that is relieved with rest,

• nerve pain that feels like pins and needles,

• losing sensation (numbness) in your lower legs, and

• discoloration in lower extremities,

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you need to ask to be referred to a vascular surgeon who specializes in PAD. There are simple assessments that can determine if you are at risk for a stroke or blockage in your lower extremities due to plaque buildup that occurs in PAD. 

Getting screened early can literally save your life and your limbs!

Take control of your vascular health by calling Dr. David Nabi today at 949-574-7176. Be sure to visit NewportVascular.com for more helpful health tips.