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Diabetic Foot Problems:
Wearing Special Diabetic Footwear Can Help Ease Diabetic Foot Problems |
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| Diabetes, a systemic disease resulting in an elevated blood sugar level, affects approximately 16 million Americans. Many complications are associated with diabetes, primarily vascular and neurologic. But diabetes can also result in many diabetic foot problems, so sufferers need to pay special attention to their feet. |
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| Symptoms: Could You Have Diabetic Foot Problems? |
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Diabetes can be a silent disease. Initially, you may not know you have it without a blood test from your doctor. But after time, symptoms will develop, including:
- Diminished sensation or the inability to feel pain, associated with numbness or tingling of the hands or feet. Diabetic foot problems can easily become infected when people do not take care of a diabetic foot.
- Peripheral Vascular Disease or poor circulation leading to ulcers, infections and other serious diabetic foot problems.
- Decreased resistance to infection.
- Kidney failure resulting in dialysis.
- Eye problems resulting in blurred vision and possible blindness.
- Increased thirst and hunger.
- Dry mouth and frequent urination.
- Unexplained weight loss or gain.
Remember: Do no use a diabetic foot cream between your toes.
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| Relieving and Preventing Diabetic Foot Problems |
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If you have diabetic foot problems, follow these tips to avoid infection:
DO's
- Inspect your feet daily for blisters, bleeding and lesions between the toes. Use a mirror to examine the bottoms of your feet as well.
- Wear therapeutic footwear, including specially made diabetes socks, slippers, insoles, orthotics and other footwear for the diabetes foot.
- Wear therapeutic footwear, including specially made diabetes socks, diabetic slippers, insoles, orthotics and other diabetic footwear.
- Wear high and wide toe box shoes to prevent diabetic foot problems.
- Wear diabetic footwear that fits well and protects your feet.
- Avoid diabetic foot problems by wearing conforming removable insoles in footwear.
- Wear seamless diabetic socks and stockings to keep moisture away from your feet.
- Use diabetic foot creams – just not between the toes.
- Use bed cradles to reduce the weight of heavy bedding on your diabetic foot.
- Diabetic skin care is important! Wash your feet daily with warm, soapy water and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes.
- You can also limit diabetic foot problems by trimming your toenails carefully, straight across, and do not gouge into the corners.
DONT's
- Don’t excessively soak your diabetes foot… especially in hot water.
- Don’t use hot water bottles or heating pads on your feet.
- Don’t use acids or chemical corn removers on diabetic feet.
- Don’t perform “bathroom surgery” on corns, calluses or ingrown toenails.
- Don’t smoke.
See your podiatrist on a regular basis, and contact one immediately if you are having diabetic foot problems.
Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on muscoskeletal health. |
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We Also Recommend:
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