Diabetes:
8 Things Your Feet Need You To Do Everyday
When
you have peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes, your feet and skin need
extra care and attention.
Very
small, repetitive injuries to the feet — like those caused by poorly fitting
shoes — can lead to bigger problems. Calluses, blisters, sores, infections, and
foot ulcers may appear on numb areas of the foot, because pressure or injury
goes unnoticed. This happens simply because you can’t feel the problem.
Also,
people with uncontrolled diabetes have a hard time fighting infections. They
may also have poor circulation that can lead to problems with healing. That means
a minor cut in the skin could become an ulcer or develop into a serious
infection. With good foot care, you can prevent most of these problems.
Inspect
Feet Daily if You Have Diabetes
It
is recommended that those with neuropathy inspect their feet on a daily basis
for cuts, any signs of redness, calluses, or blisters. Using a little mirror
can help. Also, it’s important to moisturize. But avoid getting it between the
toes, because that area is already moist. So extra moisture tends to cause
fungal infections.
Even
if you have diabetes, caring for your feet is easy. It’s best to do it when you
are bathing or getting ready for bed. And remember that good foot care also
involves getting medical help early if a problem develops. It’s very important
to see your doctor for treatment right away — to prevent serious complications
like infections.
Here
are good everyday foot care habits to follow:
1.
Inspect feet daily. Wash your feet, and then thoroughly
dry them. Use a handheld mirror (like a magnifying mirror) to inspect them.
Look for blisters, cuts, cracks, dry skin, redness, tenderness, or sores on the
skin, between the toes, and on the soles of your feet.
2.
Powder in between your toes. This helps keep that
moist skin dry and helps prevent fungal infections.
3.
Rub lotion on feet and legs to prevent dry cracked skin. But don’t put lotion
between the toes because of the risk of fungal infections.
4.
Keep nails trimmed. Use an emery board for filing so you
don’t hurt your skin.
5.
Protect your feet. Always wear shoes or slippers to
protect feet from injury. Don’t use a heating pad or hot water bottle to warm
your feet.
6.
Get checkups at the doctor. On each visit, make
sure the doctor inspects your feet.
7.
Don’t use corn removers or other drugstore foot treatments. These can be
harmful. Let a doctor treat your foot problems.
8.
Wear properly fitted shoes. Also, wear socks at
all times to prevent injury.
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