Attention Diabetics: Take Care of Your Feet

 With damage to your nervous system caused by diabetes, you might not be able to feel your feet properly.  Normal sweat secretion and oil production that lubricates the skin of the foot is often impaired and, as a result, this can lead to an abnormal pressure on the skin, bones, and joints of the foot during walking and other activities. 

This can even lead to the breakdown of the skin on the foot, causing sores to develop. If you have diabetes, it is important to take proper precautions to prevent foot problems before they occur, recognize problems early and seek the right treatment from your podiatrist when a problem does happen.

Complications with Your Feet and Diabetes

There are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing foot problems and diabetic infections in the legs and feet with poorly fitting shoes as one of the biggest culprits of diabetic foot complications. 

If you suffer from any of the following symptoms, it is important to find new proper fitting shoes immediately:

·      Red spots

·      Sore spots

·      Blisters

·      Corns

·      Calluses

·      Consistent pain when wearing shoes

And if you have common foot abnormalities such as flat feet, bunions, or hammertoes, prescription shoes or orthotics from your podiatrist might be necessary to further protect your feet from other damage.

Poor Circulation and Nerve Damage

People who have long-standing or poorly controlled diabetes are also at risk for having damage to the nerves in their feet, which is known in the medical community as peripheral neuropathy.  If you have nerve damage, you may not be able to feel your feet normally and you may also be unable to sense the position of your feet and toes while walking and balancing, which can cause even more harm to your feet. 

Normal nerves allow people to sense if their shoes are too tight or if their shoes are rubbing on the feet too much.  With diabetes, you may not be able to properly sense minor injuries, such as cuts, scrapes and blisters—all signs of abnormal wear, tear, and foot strain. The following can also compromise the health of your feet:

·      Poor circulation

·      Trauma to the foot

·      Infections

·      Smoking

Diabetes can be extremely dangerous to your feet, so take precautions now.  You can avoid serious problems such as losing a toe, foot, or leg by following proper prevention techniques offered by your podiatrist. And remember, prevention is the key to saving your feet and eliminating pain.