The Impact of Diabetes

Diabetes is growing exponentially throughout the world. Here in the United States, we have 35 million diabetics and 90 million pre-diabetics, which equates to about 5,200 people a day who are diagnosed with diabetes in the United States.

Ocean County Foot and Ankle Surgical Associates, P.C. has a team of highly trained foot and ankle surgeons that treat thousands of chronic wounds per year. One of our skilled surgeons, Dr. Matthew Regulski, is a world-renowned wound healing physician and Director of the Wound Care Institute of Ocean County, LLC. Dr. Regulski is very passionate about the importance of comprehensive treatment for each of our patients, especially those with diabetes.

Dr. Regulski has outlined some important facts about diabetes to create awareness of the serious risks of this disease that affects the entire body.

  • In 2019, the United States spent 720 billion dollars in the treatment of diabetes and its related complications.
  • In 2019, 4.2 million people in the world died from diabetes and its related complications.
  • Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness with on average of 75 diabetics per day developing blindness.
  • Each day 150 diabetics develop kidney failure and go on to receive dialysis.
  • Diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputation. In the United States, a limb is amputated every 30 seconds due to diabetes, and in the world, it is every 20 seconds.
  • 20% of all diabetics will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime no matter how well they take care of themselves.
  • A diabetic foot ulcer carries a 47% mortality rate, that’s higher than all cancers except for pancreatic cancer.
  • By the year 2030, one out of every five people throughout the world will be diabetic.

Diabetes can cause a wide range of issues in the lower extremities, including diabetic foot ulcers. Treating diabetic foot ulcers is a very complex problem that requires a team of doctors. The gate keeper in this process is the podiatrist, as most diabetics will develop some type of problem with their foot or their leg and will seek medical treatment and guidance. At Ocean County Foot and Ankle Surgical Associates, we provide a variety of treatments for those suffering from foot related health issues as a result of diabetes.

There is not one physician that can treat the whole spectrum of complications caused by diabetes, therefore, we use a team approach in our clinical pathway to properly treat the entire diabetic patient.

If you have a sore or an open wound on your foot, ankle or leg that is not healing in a timely manner, please make an appointment at one of our 6 convenient locations as soon as possible.

For time does not heal all wounds!