March 12, 2007

Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Feet Healthy.

Written by Kevin Flatt

High blood glucose from diabetes causes two problems that can damage your feet:

Nerve damage. One problem is damage to nerves in your legs and feet. With damaged nerves, you might not feel pain, heat, or cold in your legs and feet. A sore or cut on your foot may get worse because you do not know it is there. This lack of feeling is caused by nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy. It can lead to a large sore or infection.

Poor blood flow. The second problem happens when not enough blood flows to your legs and feet. Poor blood flow makes it hard for a sore or infection to heal. This problem is called peripheral vascular disease. Smoking when you have diabetes makes blood flow problems much worse.

These two problems can work together to cause a foot problem. For example, you get a blister from shoes that do not fit. You do not feel the pain from the blister because you have nerve damage in your foot. Next, the blister gets infected. If blood glucose is high, the extra glucose feeds the germs. Germs grow and the infection gets worse. Poor blood flow to your legs and feet can slow down healing. Once in a while a bad infection never heals. The infection might cause gangrene.

To keep gangrene from spreading, a doctor may have to amputation a toe, foot, or part of a leg.

Taking care of your feet.

Wash your feet in warm water every day. Make sure the water is not too hot by testing the temperature with your elbow. Do not soak your feet. Dry your feet well, especially between your toes.

Look at your feet every day to check for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other problems. Checking every day is even more important if you have nerve damage or poor blood flow. If you cannot bend over or pull your feet up to check them, use a mirror. If you cannot see well, ask someone else to check your feet.

If your skin is dry, rub lotion on your feet after you wash and dry them. Do not put lotion between your toes

File corns and calluses gently with an emery board or pumice stone. Do this after your bath or shower.

Cut your toenails once a week or when needed. Cut toenails when they are soft from washing. Cut them to the shape of the toe and not too short. File the edges with an emery board.

Always wear shoes or slippers to protect your feet from injuries.

Always wear socks or stockings to avoid blisters. Do not wear socks or knee-high stockings that are too tight below your knee.

Wear shoes that fit well. Shop for shoes at the end of the day when your feet are bigger. Break in shoes slowly. Wear them 1 to 2 hours each day for the first 1 to 2 weeks.

Before putting your shoes on, feel the insides to make sure they have no sharp edges or objects that might injure your feet.

Tell your doctor right away about any foot problems.

Ask your doctor to look at your feet at each diabetes checkup. To make sure your doctor checks your feet, take off your shoes and socks before your doctor comes into the room.

Ask your doctor to check how well the nerves in your feet sense feeling.

Ask your doctor to check how well blood is flowing to your legs and feet.

Ask your doctor to show you the best way to trim your toenails. Ask what lotion or cream to use on your legs and feet.

If you cannot cut your toenails or you have a foot problem, ask your doctor to send you to a foot doctor (podiatrist).

Make sure you wear shoes that fit well. Special shoes can be made to fit softly around your sore feet or feet that have changed shape. These special shoes help protect your feet. Medicare and other health insurance programs may pay for special shoes. Talk to your doctor about how and where to get them.

Extracted and adapted from: The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIH Publication No. 06-4282. March 2006. This publication is not copyrighted.

 
Copyright 2007 Kevin Flatt. Reproduction of any information on other websites is PROHIBITED.

Disclaimer: The information and opinions on this website is for information purposes only and is believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the author. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries.