Diabetics often fight with poor circulation, which damages one’s ability to fight infection and heal wounds. Diabetics also often experience neuropathy, acute nerve damage, which can reduce their ability to know and cure an injury. Small cuts and brittle calluses can become risky infections if they go ignored. This, in turn, can lead to hospitalization or even, in the most extreme cases, amputation. For these reasons, diabetic must be watchful when it comes to caring for their feet. It is essential for prevention and to evade the risk of serious problems, such as amputation. Taking care of your feet will help in prevention, and observing early on symptoms can help in treating problems.
There are a lot of symptoms related with problems to your feet if you have diabetes. Noticing these symptoms early on can be helpful to your health. You should inform your doctor if you are experiencing regular aching or pain in your feet, legs and buttocks. If you are experiencing swelling in your ankles and legs, this could be a symbol of infection or inflammation and you should let your doctor know. Other signs of infection or inflammation can be shiny and hard skin on your legs, your hair has stopped growing, if you see persistent drainage of pus and blood from a wound on your feet or leg, if you are experiencing difficulty walking, and have fever or chills. Any of these signs could be a symbol of something very serious.
Taking care of your feet at home to stop any problems is significant. Things you can do at home to stop problems are to wear proper foot-wear that is not too tight and comfy to walk in. Exercising every day is a great way to keep the flow going in your legs. Exercise is significant for diabetics as part of the diet as well, but it’s just as important for the feet. Give yourself standard exams daily and make sure you don’t see any irregularities. Trim your toe nails correctly to make sure you don’t get ingrown nails in your toes. Elastic socks and hose are known to hinder the circulation in your legs, so, it is excellent to avoid them and only wear wool or cotton socks. Circulation is hindered by smoking as well, the rate of amputation and smokers are much higher. Avoiding problems with your feet can be complete with proper diabetic foot care and this can be done easily with a daily care routine.
Ignoring foot care is a vary dangerous
With the start of diabetes disease, an afflicted person can develop numerous types of foot problems. After the start of diabetes, foot problems usually happen as a result of complete loss or diminished of sensation in the foot called neuropathy or as a result of poor circulation of blood flow to the lower leg and foot.
The effects of diabetes related neuropathy include possible ingrown toenails, or foot sores, walk with a nail or stone in their shoe, grow a blister or other problem and, because of a lack of sensation, not find out the problem until the foot has become infected.
If little sores are not taken care of properly, you risk making them poorer. Moreover, they could turn into ulcers, serious, deep sores. If these ulcers become infected, you may have to go to hospital or, in very serious cases, have a foot removed.
If you do not look after your feet you run the risk of making infections or sores that could, in the bad case scenario, lead to amputations. Reduce your risk of amputation or infection by staring these useful foot care tips…
- Check your feet every day, especially if you have low sensitivity or no feeling in your feet. Sores, grazes and cuts could go ignored and you could make problems leading to amputations.
- Be cautious if you have corns or calluses, check with your podiatrist the best way to care for them.
- Wash your feet every day in tepid, not hot water and don’t soak your feet because it could dry your skin and form sores or cracks.
- Take more care to dry your feet fully, especially between your toes. These are natural moisture traps, leaving them wet or damp could make all sorts of problems.
- Don’t go around bare foot, even at home. It is easy to tread on something or stump your toes and cut yourself, protect your feet with socks and shoes.
- Get your feet professionally checked, at least one time a year, for sensitivity and symptoms of any problems. You can regularly manage this when you have your annual check up for your AC1 levels, blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Exercise your legs and feet regularly, even when sitting you can rotate your ankles; move your legs up and down or wiggle your toes. This all keep your blood flow smooth and helps to reduce the risk of foot problems.