Diabetes mellitus is a common disorder that impairs your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. The diabetes rate among Americans is approximately 11.3%.1. Insufficient production of insulin, a hormone essential for regulating blood sugar levels, is the outcome of diabetes. Insulin makes it easier for blood sugar to enter muscles and other tissues so that those tissues can use it. Without insulin, blood sugar levels can become dangerously high, which over time can cause diabetic neuropathy, a condition that mostly affects the legs and feet.
While diabetic neuropathy can damage any neuron in the body, it most frequently affects the nerves that govern sensation in the legs and feet. Because of the loss of feeling in your feet, a small cut or blister could become something much more dangerous, and you might not always be able to recognize when you have an injury or sickness that needs medical attention.
Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce the likelihood that diabetic neuropathy will cause problems for you. These include cleaning and wearing shoes that fit properly, as well as checking your feet periodically for damage.
Why Is Foot Health Vital for Diabetes Patients?
Injuries should be avoided as much as possible, and they should be treated as soon as they occur. Diabetes increases the risk of diabetic foot ulcers, which can result in complications such as infection and amputation. It is projected that between 15 and 25 percent of individuals with diabetes mellitus may develop a diabetic foot ulcer at some point in their lives.
People with diabetes may not notice a cut or injury on their foot right away, enabling it to develop infected, due to nerve damage brought on by diabetic neuropathy. A diabetic may also keep doing things that make their wounds worse since they have neuropathy. In contrast to someone with neuropathy, who would not feel the blister and would simply continue walking, someone without neuropathy could change their shoes or bandage a blister that developed.
Due to a few medical complications, diabetes also prevents wounds from healing. Individuals with diabetes have twice the prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition that lowers blood flow to the arms and legs, compared to the general population. Since adequate blood flow is necessary for healing, reduced blood flow may cause healing to occur more slowly.
Furthermore, those with diabetes who have poorly managed blood sugar are particularly vulnerable to delayed wound healing.One of the numerous harmful effects of elevated blood sugar is blood vessel stiffness. This may hinder white blood cell response to wounds and delay circulation.
How to Take Care of Your Diabetes-Related Feet
Although the thought of having a diabetic foot ulcer can be daunting, there are numerous things you can do to lessen your risk of getting one.
Examine and Clean Your Feet Every Day
Check both sides of your feet each day for any new cracks, blisters, redness, or injuries that you may not be able to feel. If you have trouble viewing all the angles of your feet due to mobility issues or other issues, you can ask a member of your inner circle for assistance or use a mirror to help you see them.
Daily foot washing is another way to maintain the health of your feet. Use a thermometer to check the water’s temperature and make sure it’s warm enough to touch, especially if you have diabetic neuropathy. Make careful to thoroughly wash your foot, but avoid soaking it. Give your foot a thorough drying after washing it. Lotion should be applied to the top and bottom of your toes, not in between them, as this can raise your risk of infection.
Put on Appropriate Shoes
It’s essential to always wear appropriate footwear to prevent harm. Never go barefoot—even inside—as you run the risk of tripping over something sharp and getting hurt without even realizing it.
It’s also critical that your shoes fit properly. Avoid wearing shoes that are too tight or cause your toes to rub together. When you first buy new shoes, break them in gradually by wearing them every day for short amounts of time.
Before putting on your shoes, make sure the inside is smooth and clear of any objects that could scrape against your feet, including stones.
Maintain Your Nails
Diabetes sufferers should maintain their toenails clipped short enough to avoid ripping them when they snag on socks or shoes. Additionally, you should cut your nails straight across to lessen the possibility of cutting yourself and getting hurt. The pointed points of nails can be smoothed down with a nail file. A podiatrist should assist you if you are unable to reach or see your feet.
Boost Blood Flow
By wriggling your feet and toes for a few minutes at intervals throughout the day, you can promote blood flow. When sitting, try to elevate your feet as much as possible to let blood return to your heart.
Visit Your Provider Frequently
Your feet will be examined by your healthcare practitioner to ensure their well-being. It is best to discuss any corns or calluses you may have with your podiatrist rather than attempting to remove them—even in minor cases—at home. Along with more advice on how to maintain healthy feet, your healthcare practitioner can educate you on the activities that are ideal for protecting your feet.
When to Speak with a Medical Professional
It is crucial that you visit your healthcare practitioner on a frequent basis if you have diabetes. However, if you encounter any of the following symptoms, you should make an appointment as soon as possible with your primary care physician or podiatrist:
You have a cut, blister, ingrown toenail, crack, bruise, or other injury on your foot, and it takes more than a few days to recover.
If any area of your foot gets hot, red, swollen, or sensitive, an infection may be the cause.
A foot infection could be gangrene (tissue death) if it becomes black and smells unpleasant, or if it does not start to get better after taking medicines.
Your toenails are getting thicker and turning yellow.
If you discover dried blood inside a callus, it may indicate that a wound is starting underneath.
Over time, you observe that your foot’s shape change
You notice a change in your feet’s temperature or a hair loss on your legs or feet.
You either lose your ability to sense touch or experience it less keenly on your feet.
Your feet’s capacity to sense heat or cold has suddenly vanished.
Your feet hurt, either tingling or burning.
You get cramps in your buttocks, thighs, or calves when you move or exercise.