When you have diabetes, you'll need to pay extra special attention to your feet. A reduction in blood flow to your extremities and nerve damage are common in individuals dealing with diabetes. You may not feel an abrasion on your foot before it has become dangerously infected. Those that have diabetes have a harder time healing from infections, and this often leads to an amputation if not caught early enough. If you are a diabetic and concerned about your feet, it's important to see a podiatrist several times a year or more for routine foot care.
Clean Your Feet Carefully Every Day
When you clean your feet as a diabetic, make sure that you use mild soap. You don't want your skin to get irritated or raw. You have to dry your feet well, as leftover water between your toes can cause problems. Once you wash your feet, pat your feet dry. Don't rub your feet harshly with a towel. With your feet clean, apply lotion on them to keep the skin hydrated, but don't put any lotion between your toes.
Check Your Feet for Cracks, Cuts or Other Problems
As you may not feel your feet as well as you once used to, it's important to check your feet over carefully for any problems. When you have cuts, these can quickly become infected and lead to gangrene. When your blood sugar levels are high and your circulation is poor, it is very difficult to heal any sort of cut or crack on your feet. If you find a deep crack in your foot in a routine inspection, call your podiatrist to see if you should come in for a checkup. It is always better to be over cautious when it comes to your feet and diabetic foot care.
When Mobility Issues Make it Hard to Reach Your Feet
If you have mobility issues and it's hard to reach your feet, you will need to make sure that your feet are properly taken care of by a podiatrist. Trimming your nails and removing corns or calluses is always important, and this should be done by a professional if you are not able to do it yourself. When you ignore your feet and you are a diabetic, you are risking losing a toe or your entire foot because of an infection.
Diabetic foot care is essential to the health of your feet. Contact a doctor, such as those at Laurel Podiatry Associates, LLC, immediately if you have any concerns or questions.
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