Foot Care for Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease where the body does not respond to the insulin produced in the pancreas or when the body does not produce enough insulin, which is a hormone. Suffering from diabetes can also cause the body a decrease in the ability to fight off an infection. Damage to the organs of the body and to the immune system can occur in patients who do not properly take care of their diabetes problem. One of the most common problems to develop in people with diabetes is foot problems. Foot problems can become serious and even severe if not cared for properly by the patient or their doctor.
People with diabetes might not be able to feel their feet properly if they have suffered damage to their nervous system. Not being able to feel one’s feet can lead to the development of sores on the feet. The normal amount of lubrication from sweat secretion and oil production is affected. If this happens an abnormal amount of pressure can be placed on the skin, the bones, and the joints of the feet when the patient is walking. This leads to the breakdown of the skin of the feet and eventually to the development of sores on the feet. These sores, if not treated properly, can develop into a serious medical problem that can lead to amputation.
The wounds on the feet are difficult to heal by the immune system because of the disease diabetes. Diabetes causes damage to blood vessels and impairment of the immune system, which leads to bacterial infection of the skin, connective tissues, muscles and bones. Antibiotics cannot get to the site easily because of poor blood flow in the feet. Gangrene can develop on the feet. If the infection in the feet spreads to the bloodstream then the patient’s life will be in danger.
Caring for diabetes can be difficult to do and time consuming but it should be done by everyone with the disease to prevent the loss of one or both feet. Caring for the feet includes eliminating obstacles, trimming toenails, wearing proper footwear, exercising regularly, not smoking, following a reasonable diet, going to a wound care center or taking medications. Eliminating obstacles is very important for people with diabetes. Patients with the disease should remove anything they might trip over from their home or office to prevent injuring their feet in an accident. As mentioned earlier, the immune system is impaired with diabetes, causing a foot injury to not heal properly.
Patients should also inspect their feet daily to check for any cuts or bruises, wash their feet in lukewarm water, be gentle when washing feet, moisturize the feet but not between the toes, cut toenails carefully straight across, never trim corns or calluses, wear clean and dry socks, wear socks to bed, never walk barefoot, don’t smoke, inspect the inside of shoes before wearing, keep feet warm and dry, take care of the diabetes and always get periodic foot exams.
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