Diabetes - Proper Foot Care For Diabetics

The presence of high blood glucose in the body due to diabetes can create serious implications in one's body. It could result in the nerve damage which affects the nerves in the feet and legs. This would create a loss of feeling such as pain, heat, cold etc. In other words it would create numbness in the leg which might lead to an infection. This numbness in the leg is known as Diabetic Neuropathy.

In Diabetic patients, the infection or the sore in the leg would take more time to heal due to the poor blood flow. This is called peripheral vascular disease. The foot problem might start from a small blister on the foot which could later result into amputation due to diabetes. This can be avoided by using the foot care methods.

Here is a rundown of the foot care methods that can be used by Diabetic patients:

1- Examine the condition of the foot every day.

2- Wash the feet using warm water; Dry it thoroughly using a towel even between the toes.

3- The nails of the foot should be kept trim and sharp edges should be filed.

4- Wear a clean and comfortable socks and shoes.

5- Before wearing the shoe one must check for the presence of sharp objects which might damage the foot.

6- Quit smoking as smoking causes poor blood circulation to the feet.

7- Get a regular doctor check up done.

These methods if followed regularly would result in less foot problems.

Foot care is a serious concern for diabetic patients. Monitoring the glucose levels and maintaining their feet themselves are several factors for foot care. The diabetic patient should go through a regular routine of cleaning and inspecting whether the leg is completely cleaned. A proper foot ware is also essential for the feet.

After the diagnosis of the feet one has to consult a podiatrist to get a foot examination done. The podiatrist would look for potentially sensitive points on the sides of the foot and also looks for the presence of fungus in the toenails. The podiatrist would guide the patient to check his foot regularly using a mirror. There is a 'Diabetic shoe' which can be used by the diabetic patients if prescribed by the podiatrist.

Relieving the pressure in the foot is essential as some diabetic patients encounter numbness in the foot during extremities. This is due to the poor blood circulation. If care is not taken at this stage it could lead to gangrene. Gangrene can become severe and can also result in the loss of the foot.

Here is an example of a person who in order to relieve the feet from cold had put the socks in the oven to make it warm. Due to the numbness he couldn't realize the burn being caused to the feet after wearing the socks. This resulted in 3rd degree burns which later resulted in the loss of the foot till the knee.

This shows that one has to take proper care of the foot by consulting the podiatrist.