The most common reason diabetics are hospitalized in the United States is foot infections. I know that’s hard to believe, but true. Diabetes can be dangerous and devastating to your feet.
The most common causes of these foot infections are improperly cut toenails and poorly fitting shoes. Yes, something as simple as a visit to the podiatrist to have your toenails cut and shoes custom fitted can avoid many amputations. Add poor circulation and lack of feeling known as peripheral neuropathy, and you have the prescription for disaster for diabetic feet.
What is a diabetic to do to protect their feet from a sore that can lead to infection and amputation?
1. Inspect your feet daily. If you can’t see your feet, have someone else look at them every day for redness, cuts, swelling, blisters, bruising, or nail problems.
2. Wash your feet daily. Sounds simple, but many people do not bathe their feet daily. Make sure to clean in between your toes and dry them thoroughly.
3. Moisturize your feet daily. Again, a simple habit to get in to, yet most people fail to upkeep their skin every day. Diabetes can cause very dry, flaky skin, so extra moisture is needed.
4. Cut nails carefully, and straight across. If you can see and reach your toes, be careful to cut your toenails carefully, taking time not to nick yourself or cu them too short. When in doubt, visit Healthy Steps Pedicure salon for a therapeutic medically supervised pedicure or see the podiatrist at least every 10 weeks.
5. Never trim corns and calluses. And absolutely no corn or callus remover! The package says, “don’t use if you are diabetic” for a reason. Have the podiatrist trim them when they are thickened or red.
6. Wear clean, dry socks. And change them daily…..
7. Avoid tight or bulky socks. Tight socks can reduce circulation to you feet and bulky socks can bunch up and cause a blister or sore.
8. Wear socks to bed. If your feet are cold, wear clean socks to be. Never use a heating pad or hot water bottle, you can burn yourself before you realize it!
9. Shake out your shoes and inspect them before you put them on. I have taken everything from a pebble, piece of basket and a doll house chair out of the bottom of diabetic feet after they walked on them all day. Easy thing to avoid!
10. Keep your feet clean and dry. No puddle splashing or snow drifts for your feet!
11. Never, never, never go barefoot. Not even at home on carpet. You can step on something easily and get an infected puncture wound.
12. Take care of your diabetes! Multiple studies have shown the complications of diabetes can be diminished by keeping your sugars under control. Keep that HgA1c under 6 if you can. Work with your doctor and nutritionist for optimal care.
13. Don’t Smoke! Stop smoking if you do. Ever cigarette decreases the circulation to your feet and increases your chance of a non-healing wound.
14. Get periodic foot exams. The recommendations are to have a foot exam at least once a year by your doctor and more frequently if you have neuropathy, a foot deformity, poor circulation, or have had a history of a foot ulcer.
Diabetes can be life’s annoyance or it can kill you. It is your choice! Take care of your feet so they will carry you for a lifetime.
For a free copy of Got Diabetes? Help Us Save Your Soles, click here!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Good information.
ReplyDeleteI came across many queries in several forums where people have been asking for advice on the best glue that can be used on nails and that is not only strong but also safe on nails. This was the same question I had sometime back when I used to apply nail gel myself. Initially the glue I got would never hold on the way it used to when done in the salon. I then came across the nail glue being sold on gel-nails which lasts very long and is pretty easy to apply. It provides a strong bonding for my nails and also does a great job in repairing the nail tips.
Most important of all is that this is strong glue I was actually looking out for and this is used by nail salons and nail artists for professional applications. It is available at a cheap price at gel-nails and I remember seeing it at a discount of 74% which is great. Maybe this can help if you also face problems relating to poor glue quality as I did earlier.
I would have never thought to do some of these things. My mother is diabetic and is always having pain in her feet. I wonder if she has heard about keeping her feet washed and moisturized daily.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mesafootandankle.com/diabetic-foot-care.html
Me too, I have a post about diabetic foot in this page: diabetes foot care tips
ReplyDelete