Having diabetes can lead to a bunch of underlying health problems, especially with your feet. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to keep your feet healthy and pain-free.
Maintaining healthy feet while living with diabetes requires you to proactively monitor your condition. This includes:
- Keeping tabs on your condition via medical exams
- Habitually checking your blood sugar levels
- Staying active and exercising at least 20 minutes a day
- Keeping your nutrition in check by having a balanced diet
By adding these tasks to your routine, you have a much higher chance of keeping optimal foot health. If you neglect to manage your diabetes, you’re setting yourself up for serious health issues further down the line.
Foot Care Techniques You Can Do At Home
Maintaining a healthy foot at home is surprisingly simple. Most are things you can without any professional help. Here are a few things you can do every day to protect your feet from diabetes:
Visual Inspections
If you have diabetes, it’s important to do routine visual inspections of your feet to check for anything abnormal. Areas you want to check the most are in between the toes, heels, soles of your feet.
Keep Your Feet Clean
Diabetes or not, it’s important to wash your feet regularly. Whenever you’re washing your feet, try to use warm water. Hot water may end up damaging your skin.
Dry Your Feet To Avoid Infections
Fungus and other bacteria thrive in moist environments. To prevent infections, always thoroughly dry your feet after washing.
Use Moisturizer Regularly
Dry feet can be uncomfortable. Use a moisturizer to keep your feet smooth and prevent cracking. This will alleviate any pain or discomfort caused by your condition.
Why Does Diabetes Affect The Feet?
One of the main reasons people experience diabetic foot problems is because of the lack of circulation. People with diabetes have less blood flow to their feet, which can lead to serious health problems. For instance, when feet don’t have a sufficient amount of blood supply, your body may have trouble healing cuts.
Diabetes may cause other problems with your feet such as:
Diabetic Foot Ulcer – An open wound on the foot that can cause pain or infection
Diabetic Foot Infection – Infections caused by open sores or wounds
Diabetic Toe Nails – People with diabetes are more likely to develop fungal infections around their toenails.
It’s no surprise that people with diabetes need to pay extra attention to their feet. You can prevent significant health issues just by being more vigilant and proactive with your condition.
When Should You See A Doctor?
Contact your doctor if you are experiencing any of the following:
- A cut or sore hasn’t healed after 3-4 days
- The skin on your foot becomes red/purple and painful to touch
- An infection develops around your toes
Your doctor will be able to conduct a thorough examination in order to properly diagnose your condition. They then should be able to recommend the most suitable treatment option. Having your feet checked should become normal if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Many health issues can be prevented through early detection.
Contact Our Friendly Staff Today!
Are you experiencing diabetic foot pain? Heavenly Foot Care has years of experience with diabetic foot treatment in St. Catharines and the Niagara region. Reach out to our friendly staff today to learn more about our treatment options for diabetes-related foot care. You can call us at (905) 931-9965 or email sherri@heavenlyfootcare.ca to book an appointment.