The Importance of Diabetic Foot Care
Many diabetics do not understand the importance of the care of their feet and how that care can affect their health.
Since people with diabetes have a tendency to have foot problems, it is vital that they inspect and look after their feet on a daily basis.
Diabetes causes a condition of painful nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy.
Your entire body may be affected by this neuropathy, but most often the legs and feet are the area's most prone to have the worst of symptoms.
Damage to the nerves can cause the loss of feeling in your feet.
One cannot easily detect cold or hot, neither can you feel pain as easily or readily as someone who does not have diabetes.
This is why diabetics get infections so frequently from something like a simple small cut on the foot.
When a person is unable to feel the cut, they do not realize it is there.
With no first aid, that cut can easily become infected.
Another symptom that afflicts those with diabetes is poor circulation.
A good blood circulation is known to aid your body in all healing processes, so when it becomes sluggish, it takes longer for any injuries to your feet to heal.
This is the reason that you need to inspect your feet each day for any sort of scrapes or cuts, and be sure you are also very careful in keeping your toenails trimmed.
Trimming of the toenails aids in the avoidance of ingrown toenails.
Also of note here, please do not attempt to trim any sort of callus or corn from your feet.
Leave this sensitive job for your health care provider to do.
Prevention is oftentimes the best key to good health for diabetics.
Make sure you always wear socks and shoes that do not in any way irritate, bind, or rub your feet.
Avoid going barefoot.
Going barefoot is one of the easiest ways to injure a foot.
Be on the lookout for any extremes of cold or heat on your feet.
Nerve damage may prevent you from accurately judging the temperature of many things that your feet may come into contact with.
Guard the flow of blood to your feet.
This can be done by taking extra precautions.
While at rest, use a footrest or footstool, or something of similar means to keep your feet elevated.
It is not a good idea to cross your legs when you sit down, and when you do sit down, try to do a few simple foot exercises while seated.
It is also a good idea to begin an exercise program.
If you are a diabetic, it is never considered to be too late to begin taking care of your feet.
In just a few minutes of your day, you can have a big effect on how well your feet will be able to keep you walking comfortably into your future.
Since people with diabetes have a tendency to have foot problems, it is vital that they inspect and look after their feet on a daily basis.
Diabetes causes a condition of painful nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy.
Your entire body may be affected by this neuropathy, but most often the legs and feet are the area's most prone to have the worst of symptoms.
Damage to the nerves can cause the loss of feeling in your feet.
One cannot easily detect cold or hot, neither can you feel pain as easily or readily as someone who does not have diabetes.
This is why diabetics get infections so frequently from something like a simple small cut on the foot.
When a person is unable to feel the cut, they do not realize it is there.
With no first aid, that cut can easily become infected.
Another symptom that afflicts those with diabetes is poor circulation.
A good blood circulation is known to aid your body in all healing processes, so when it becomes sluggish, it takes longer for any injuries to your feet to heal.
This is the reason that you need to inspect your feet each day for any sort of scrapes or cuts, and be sure you are also very careful in keeping your toenails trimmed.
Trimming of the toenails aids in the avoidance of ingrown toenails.
Also of note here, please do not attempt to trim any sort of callus or corn from your feet.
Leave this sensitive job for your health care provider to do.
Prevention is oftentimes the best key to good health for diabetics.
Make sure you always wear socks and shoes that do not in any way irritate, bind, or rub your feet.
Avoid going barefoot.
Going barefoot is one of the easiest ways to injure a foot.
Be on the lookout for any extremes of cold or heat on your feet.
Nerve damage may prevent you from accurately judging the temperature of many things that your feet may come into contact with.
Guard the flow of blood to your feet.
This can be done by taking extra precautions.
While at rest, use a footrest or footstool, or something of similar means to keep your feet elevated.
It is not a good idea to cross your legs when you sit down, and when you do sit down, try to do a few simple foot exercises while seated.
It is also a good idea to begin an exercise program.
If you are a diabetic, it is never considered to be too late to begin taking care of your feet.
In just a few minutes of your day, you can have a big effect on how well your feet will be able to keep you walking comfortably into your future.