Diabetes Info

Foot Care for Diabetics

December 30th, 2007 | by admin |

Developing a proper foot care program is absolutely essential for diabetics. The disease is responsible for several health complications that directly affect the feet. 

Diabetes damages nerves, affects blood circulation, causes infection, and makes the joints stiffer. Diabetic neuropathy, one of the terrors of diabetes, is caused by damage to the nerves. If you a victim of this condition, you will not be able to sense any discomfort in your feet. For example, a pair of new shoes would be biting into your skin, and you will not be able to feel it. This will lead to the formation of a sore.  

Here are some tips that will help you take care of your feet. 

Keep your feet clean:  Wash your feet regularly with a mild soap and lukewarm water, and dry them well. If your skin is too dry, use a good emollient; but take special care to see that there is neither moisture nor emollient in between your toes. 

Examine your skin regularly: Examine your feet for warning signs, such as redness, swelling, warmth, pain, slow healing, dry cracks, bleeding corns or calluses, tenderness, and loss of sensation.  

Maintain good circulation: Put your feet up when you are sitting. Wiggle your toes and move your ankles up and down for five minutes, two to three times a day. Don’t cross your legs for a long period. 

Take care of your feet: When you trim your toenails, trim them straight across; don’t attempt to cut nails at the corners. Don’t try to remove corns and calluses yourself. Avoid going barefoot even in your own house. Wear shoes that fit you well; ill fitting footwear causes more problems than you can imagine. 

Do not attempt to treat your foot problems yourself. If you sense something is wrong, consult a good podiatrist. Apart from this, visit your podiatrist at least once a year. Needless to say, it is very important to take good care of your general health and well-being while you take care of your feet. Lose excess weight; exercise regularly and develop healthy eating habits.