Diabetic Foot Care

Why are foot problems a major concern for doctors and diabetics?

Diabetics have poor circulation in their extremities. It doesn’t take much to injure a foot and not even realize it. Many foot injuries can and most often do go un-noticed, causing infection. Therefore you need to examine your feet regularly for any injuries or changes in appearance.

A really good way to improve circulation is by exercise and walking. Not only does this help improve circulation, but it helps lower blood sugar levels by speeding up your metabolism.

Keeping your toenails trimmed will help prevent infections from occuring. Also, many diabetics find they have extremely dry or scaly feet. Applying a moisturizer daily will help take care of this.

Diabetic Foot Ulcers

If you develop a foot ulcer, you should inform your doctor about it immediately. Failure to treat it properly may cause gangrene to set in; resulting in part, or in the worst case, all of your foot being amputated.

With a foot ulcer you must keep it clean and remove any dead tissue. Only walk on it when necessary. Continuously walking on the infected foot will slow down the healing process.

Be sure to inspect the ulcer frequently for any changes or signs that it is not healing properly. Make sure to inform your doctor of any changes.

You should always be aware of what your feet look like and check them regularly. Last thing you want to do is loose part if not all of your foot.