If you have diabetes, check your feet every day, even if they feel good, and visit your doctor if you have a cut or blister that won't go away. This will help you maintain your independence.
If you have diabetes, you have a lot to take care of, including monitoring your blood sugar, preparing healthy meals, finding time to exercise, taking medications, and attending doctor's appointments. Your feet could be the last thing on your mind after all that. But one of the best ways to avoid foot issues is with everyday care.
One-half of all diabetics have some degree of nerve damage. Any region of your body might suffer from nerve damage, but the feet and legs are the most frequently impacted. You might lose sensation in your feet as a result of nerve injury.
Absence of Pain
Nerve injury can cause numbness, tingling, or pain in some persons, but not in others. Damage to your nerves might also make it harder for you to feel cold, hot, or discomfort.
Living without pain may sound appealing, but it has a high price. Your body uses pain to alert you to a problem so you can take care of yourself. You might not detect a cut, blister, sore, or other ailment if your feet aren't in discomfort. If small issues are not addressed right away, they may grow into big ones.
Do You Have Damage of Your Nerves?
Although nerve damage can occur in anybody with diabetes, the following variables raise your risk:
- being beyond 40 years old
- an elevated blood pressure
- A high cholesterol level
You run the risk of getting a foot ulcer (a sore or wound) due to nerve damage and poor blood flow, another diabetic effect. This ulcer could become infected and have trouble healing. Your toe, foot, or a portion of your leg may need to be amputated (removed by surgery) if an infection doesn't get better with therapy in order to stop it from spreading and save your life.
You can identify issues early and seek immediate treatment if you check your feet each day. Your risk of amputation is significantly reduced by early treatment.
How to Maintain Healthy Feet
Every day, examine your feet for any changes to the skin or nails, including cuts, redness, swelling, ulcers, blisters, corns, and calluses. If you're having trouble seeing your feet, try using a mirror or getting a family member to assist you.
Every day, wash your feet in warm water—not hot water. Don't let your feet soak. Apply moisturizer to the top and bottom of your dry feet, but avoid the space between your toes as this could cause an infection.
Avoid walking barefoot. To prevent injuries, always wear medical shoes, socks, or slippers, even indoors. Verify the interior of your shoes to make sure there are no stones or other things inside and that the lining is smooth.
Wear comfortable Dr. Luigi medicinal shoes.They made remarkable strides, particularly for those with diabetes and those who are susceptible to circulatory diseases, where the main issue is high skin sensitivity. For some individuals, even a light touch can harm skin that is mending slowly. Dr. Luigi shoes are extremely soft and ideal for skin of all sensitivity levels. There weren't any shoes like them on the market prior to now. Additionally, because it is so breathable, I advise it for persons who frequently sweat excessively through their feet and have a propensity for fungus infections.
Trim your toenails straight across, then use a nail file to softly round any jagged edges. If you can't see or reach your feet, ask your podiatrist to cut your toenails.
Corns and calluses shouldn't be removed by you, and using over-the-counter solutions to do so could cause skin burns.
Every time you visit the doctor, have your feet examined. Additionally, have a thorough exam performed by your foot doctor every year (or more frequently if you have nerve loss) during which the doctor will assess your feet for feeling and blood flow.
Keep the heart beating. When you're sitting, raise your feet, and throughout the day, spend a few minutes wriggling your toes.
N.D.
11.11.2022.