For most people, a scrape, cut or blister is not a great deal and treated easily with a bandage. But this is not the case with diabetics. For them daily foot care is as crucial as monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.
Take care of your feet by doing your best to prevent feet ulcers, a common problem with diabetics. Ulcers are open sores that can cause complications such as infections as well as amputation. Studies reveal that people with diabetic ulcers have high risk of death within 5 years than people with some types of cancer.
Uncontrolled levels of glucose can lead to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) which causes numbness or less sensation which helps reduce feeling of pain and even hot or cold. Nerve damage can affect ability of body to sweat, which can cause drying and cracking of skin on feet. The fat pads of the foot which absorb pressure also become hard and begin thinning, an ideal condition for ulcers to develop.
When cholesterol and blood pressure are not controlled, poor functioning of the blood vessels results in causing peripheral vascular disease, in turn, reducing the blood circulation. Narrow vessels imply that feet garner less oxygen that heal wounds and fight infection. When gangrene sets in (death of tissue), amputation may be the result.
The risk of a diabetic to develop foot ulcer is 25%. To keep feet in good shape, you can do the following steps:
- Take regular care: Daily wash feet with warm water and soap, dry thoroughly and soften with petroleum jelly, cream and lotion, avoiding the region between the toes. Trim or file toe-nails.
- Get shoes that fit: Get closed-toe shoes which are properly fitting to protect feet from bangs and stubs. Try to get orthopaedic footwear after you cross 40.
- Socks care: Lightly padded, light coloured and clean socks will reveal blood stains, so you can spot problems. Don’t wear 100% cotton socks and go in for synthetic blends that wick away moisture. You can buy foot care products online India like good shoes and socks.
- Combat fungus: Fungus which lives on moisture will lead to infection. You can pick up fungus from gym floors, showers and carpets. For this, use medicated foot powders.
- Look out daily: Examine your feet daily. If you are not flexible as to see your feet, get them examined by someone else using a magnifying glass to identify any bruises, redness or punctures.
These are some aspects of foot care for diabetics.
Medicalbazzar 