Blood sugar isn’t the only part of the body impacted by diabetes. Causing nerve damage and poor circulation, diabetes increases the risk of developing a wide range of foot problems and it’s the leading cause of lower limb amputations in the United States.

“Diabetes affects your vision. It affects kidney function. It affects your blood flow to every organ from your heart to your legs,” said Dr. David Dean, wound care specialist at the CHI St. Vincent Wound Care Center.

With nerve damage and poor circulation from diabetes limiting the ability to feel pain, small problems can become serious if they aren’t treated early. For Alice Smith, the inability to feel a wound almost led to amputation of her foot.

“I was afraid, but I just knew that I was going to be healed,” Smith said.

With the wound at an advanced stage, Smith underwent treatment with Dr. Dean at the CHI St. Vincent Wound Care Center. After weeks of scheduled therapies that included daily visits to the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, she walked out of the hospital with both feet intact.

“You don’t get a sad story when you come here, you get hard work and you get the truth,” said Smith. “Dr. Dean is going to tell you the truth. He’s going to tell you what you need to do or what you’ve got to do. It is up to you to do it.”

The CHI St. Vincent Wound Care Center is a diagnostic and therapeutic center designed to treat wounds that haven’t healed or been properly treated. Dr. Dean and the team of wound care specialists conduct a thorough examination of each patient’s problem to provide a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. To learn more, visit the CHI St. Vincent Wound Care Center in Little Rock.