Diabetes is associated with a number of complications. Diabetic foot is a term that describes a complication of diabetes caused by cardiovascular and neurological damage in the lower limbs. A reduction in sensation of the feet predisposes persons with diabetes to frequent injuries. Poor blood supply complicates the problem further since the healing of these wounds is significantly delayed and they develop into chronic ulcers. There are a number of things on diabetic foot care Scottsdale residents should know.
Since the root cause of the problem is elevated blood sugar, the starting point should be to ensure that sugar levels are maintained within the normal range. It is important that you take your oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin as prescribed by your doctor. Monitor the blood glucose levels regularly to determine whether the drugs are effective. Appointments with your general practitioner or endocrinologist should be honored as they provide an opportunity to evaluate the progress from time to time.
You need to develop a habit of regularly inspecting your feet. This is because you may be unaware of injuries sustained due to the damage on your peripheral nervous system. The damage to this system reduces your perception of pain. When you identify these injuries early, you get an opportunity to intervene early and prevent progression of foot damage. A magnifying mirror is often necessary to view to lower part of the foot.
Once the foot has been affected, there are a number of things that can be done. In case of an active infection, oral antibiotics are often adequate except in cases where the infection is extensive. In the latter instance, intravenous antibiotics in an inpatient facility are often used. Most wound care centers adopt a multidisciplinary approach in dealing with this problem. Such a team would comprise a physician, a surgeon, a nutritionist and a nurse among others.
You need to choose your shoes carefully. They should be well fitting with a soft inner soul that does not exert excess pressure on the feet. A podiatrist (foot doctor) can give you the best recommendations. If you have a preexisting problem such as flat feet, hammertoes or bunions you will need a prescription for shoe inserts.
Moisturizing your feet protects them from cracking. As you do this, make sure that the moisturizer does not get trapped between the toes because this will predispose to fungal infections. A clean and dry pair of socks helps in maintaining the moisture. Be careful not to put on socks that are too tight because they may interfere with blood supply. Change them daily.
There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can undertake. Regular exercise is among them. The exercise will help improve circulation in the lower limbs and will also lower sugar levels. Cessation of smoking is another important measure. This is because nicotine is one of the major components of tobacco. It has an inhibitory effect on wound healing and may increase the risk of non-healing ulcers.
Diabetic feet are a difficult condition to treat. For this reason, a lot of emphasis should be placed on prevention. There is a need to conduct self examination on a daily basis so as to identify any injuries early. Have your doctor examine the feet on a regular basis as well so that they can initiate treatment as soon as problems are identified.
Since the root cause of the problem is elevated blood sugar, the starting point should be to ensure that sugar levels are maintained within the normal range. It is important that you take your oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin as prescribed by your doctor. Monitor the blood glucose levels regularly to determine whether the drugs are effective. Appointments with your general practitioner or endocrinologist should be honored as they provide an opportunity to evaluate the progress from time to time.
You need to develop a habit of regularly inspecting your feet. This is because you may be unaware of injuries sustained due to the damage on your peripheral nervous system. The damage to this system reduces your perception of pain. When you identify these injuries early, you get an opportunity to intervene early and prevent progression of foot damage. A magnifying mirror is often necessary to view to lower part of the foot.
Once the foot has been affected, there are a number of things that can be done. In case of an active infection, oral antibiotics are often adequate except in cases where the infection is extensive. In the latter instance, intravenous antibiotics in an inpatient facility are often used. Most wound care centers adopt a multidisciplinary approach in dealing with this problem. Such a team would comprise a physician, a surgeon, a nutritionist and a nurse among others.
You need to choose your shoes carefully. They should be well fitting with a soft inner soul that does not exert excess pressure on the feet. A podiatrist (foot doctor) can give you the best recommendations. If you have a preexisting problem such as flat feet, hammertoes or bunions you will need a prescription for shoe inserts.
Moisturizing your feet protects them from cracking. As you do this, make sure that the moisturizer does not get trapped between the toes because this will predispose to fungal infections. A clean and dry pair of socks helps in maintaining the moisture. Be careful not to put on socks that are too tight because they may interfere with blood supply. Change them daily.
There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can undertake. Regular exercise is among them. The exercise will help improve circulation in the lower limbs and will also lower sugar levels. Cessation of smoking is another important measure. This is because nicotine is one of the major components of tobacco. It has an inhibitory effect on wound healing and may increase the risk of non-healing ulcers.
Diabetic feet are a difficult condition to treat. For this reason, a lot of emphasis should be placed on prevention. There is a need to conduct self examination on a daily basis so as to identify any injuries early. Have your doctor examine the feet on a regular basis as well so that they can initiate treatment as soon as problems are identified.
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