More and more residents of Anguilla are discovering that they have diabetes mellitus. When you have diabetes, your feet need extra care and attention. If this is not done the consequences can be severe and even life threatening.
Diabetes and your feet
Diabetescan damage the nerve endings and blood vessels in your feet, making you less likely to notice when your feet are injured. Diabetes can also interfere with your body’s ability to fight infection. If you develop a minor foot injury, it could become an ulcer or develop into a serious infection. Ulcers can be found on the bottom of your feet, or on the top or bottom of your toes. With good foot care, you can prevent most of these problems.
Caring for your feet is easy. Most of the care can be done when you are bathing and getting ready for bed. Preventing injury to your feet is merely a matter of wearing properly fitted shoes and socks at all times.
If you have diabetes mellitus, the following steps can help keep your feet healthy:
• Examine your feet everyday. Everyday, wash your feet and carefully inspect the skin for blisters, corns, calluses, cuts, cracks, or sores.Make sure your feet are completely dry before putting on socks and shoes. Keep your nails trimmed and filed straight across.
• Check your shoes for any loose objects or rough edges before you put them on.Wear properly fitted shoes at all times to protect your feet from injury. Do not use a heating pad or hot water bottle to warm your feet.
• Look at foot care as part of your daily routine. Soon it will become as automatic as brushing your teeth.
• Do not use home remedies to treat foot problems. Home remedies can hurt your feet. Over-the-counter medicine designed to remove calluses could contain chemicals that could burn your skin. Also, trying to cut corns or calluses yourself could lead to infections.
• Get early treatment for any foot problem, even a minor one.
• You should have your doctor examine your feet during every visit.
Individuals who are diabetics must realise that their feet need special attention. One important way to care for your feet is to prevent injury by wearing shoes at all times, even when you are indoors. You can develop the habit of being cautious with your feet, avoiding anything that can cause possible injury, pain, or discomfort.
Good foot care also involves getting medical help early if a foot problem develops. Getting help for minor problems can prevent serious complications such as infections. A minor irritation can lead to a major problem if it is not properly cared for early.
Foot complications in diabetics
Not taking good care of your feet, if you have diabetes, can lead to several foot complications. Complications are more common in poorly controlled diabetics. Foot complications include the following:
Skin Changes. The skin can become very dry, peel and crack.
Calluses. Calluses, if not trimmed, get very thick, break down, and turn into ulcers (open sores). Never try to cut calluses or corns yourself. This can lead to ulcers and infection. Let your health care provider cut your calluses. Also, do not try to remove calluses and corns with chemical agents. These products can burn your skin.
Foot Ulcers. Ulcers occur most often on the ball of the foot or on the bottom of the big toe. Ulcers on the sides of the foot are usually due to poorly fitting shoes. Remember, even though some ulcers do not hurt, every ulcer should be seen by your health care provider right away. Neglecting ulcers can result in infections which in turn can lead to the loss of a limb.
Poor Circulation. Poor circulation (blood flow) can make your foot less able to fight infection and to heal. Diabetes causes blood vessels of the foot and leg to narrow and harden.
Exercise is good for poor circulation. It stimulates blood flow in the legs and feet. Walk in sturdy, good-fitting, comfortable shoes, but don’t walk when you have open sores.
Amputation. People with diabetes are far more likely to have a foot or leg amputated than other people. Most amputations are preventable with regular careand proper footwear.
One of the biggest threats to your feet is smoking. Smoking affects small blood vessels. It can cause decreased blood flow to the feet and make wounds heal slowly. A lot of people with diabetes who need amputations are smokers.
Conclusion
Individuals with diabetes can develop many different foot problems. Even ordinary problems can get worse and lead to serious complications. Individuals are encouraged to take care of their feet so that complications can be prevented. Some of these complications can be very severe and can also lead to death.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in the Johnson Building in The Valley.
