Diabetic Foot Care: Products, Treatment & Prevention

Diabetic foot Care >>

Most of the time, we focus on health or skin care completely ignoring the importance of our feet. Foot care is equally important especially for diabetic people to avoid foot complications. Feet is one part of our body which is used the most. Even then, we tend to ignore it until we don't come across some serious feet problem. Feet are made up of 26 bones, held together by tendons, ligaments and muscles and wrapped in skin.

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Some handy and valuable tips of foot care:
a) Check your feet daily for cuts, sores, red spots, swelling and infected nails.

b) Do not cut corns and calluses( hardened or thickened part of the skin). Consult your doctor if you have developed corns and calluses rather than cutting them off using razor, corn plasters or some liquid corn removers.

c) Make sure your toe nails are trimmed properly. Trim them straight across and smooth them using a nail file.

d) If you are diabetic, consult your doctor. Diabetic patients are at more risk to developing foot complications and wounds which do not heal easily. There are three major problems which a diabetic person faces if he develops some foot disease.

. Ischemia: It is poor circulation of blood.

. Neuropathy: It is a nerve disease.

. Infection: Precipitation Factor.

Tip: Keeping your blood sugar level in good control and taking care of your feet properly can help you avoid serious foot problems. Also avoid sitting with your legs crossed as it can reduce the flow of blood to the feet.

e) Scrub your feet each time you take a shower. You can also wash them using mild soap and lukewarm water and then drying them gently.

f) Wear clean socks and shoes that fit you properly. Right shoes helps you put off injuries and soreness. If you feel your feet sweat more than others, go in for leather or canvas shoes but not synthetic ones or plastic shoes. Plastic or vinyl shoes do not stretch or breathe. Sandals are also a good option. Use foot powder daily.

g) Quit Smoking. Smoking reduces the flow of blood to your feet.

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Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Vitamin A

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A compound of vitamin A called topical Retin-A also known as tretinoin, mainly used to treat acne problems, enhances the healing of foot ulcers in patients with diabetes, according to a report of the Archives of Dermatology.

Though previous studies showed that topical Retin-A was a bit helpful in enhancing wound healing in patients with diabetes and some results were discussed by different scientifics, a group of researchers tried to know if tretinoin really helped or not to these patients.

The research was carried out with 24 volunteers who had diabetic foot ulcers but who showed no evidence of infection or circulation problems in their extremities. Some patients were assigned to 4 weeks of daily treatment with topical 0.05 per cent tretinoin solution meanwhile the control group was assigned to a treatment with a saline solution. Both groups were assessed every 2 weeks.

The 22 volunteers who completed the study were affected by a total of 24 foot ulcers. 18 per cent of patients in the control group (2 of the 11 ulcers) and 46 per cent of patients in the treated group (6 of the 13 ulcers) achieved a complete healing at the end of 16 weeks. There was no statistical significance of adverse events, though some patients experienced mild pain at the ulcer site.

The researchers were pleased with the results, although they were a bit concerned because tretinoin irritates and they thought that the patients would become so irritated that they wouldn't be able to continue the research. However, this situation didn't seem to be a problem in most cases, as they explained.

A conclusion for the researchers was that they hope that diabetic foot clinics know about this and use Retin-A when other therapies that they use don't work. http://www.mydiabetessupply.com

Diabetic foot care

We diabetics have to take special care of our feet, or we can find them troubled in two ways: reduced blood circulation and nerve damage.

Here's what to look for and some prevention ideas.

Symptom:

If your feet are constantly cold, your legs are sore when you walk, or your feet hurt in bed at night, you may be suffering from poor blood circulation. This, in turn, can slow down the process of healing when you have cuts or other damage to your feet.

Prevention:

Staying physically active is one way to help improve your circulation. You also need to control your blood fat and sugar levels, as well as your blood pressure. And of course, don't smoke.

Symptom:

If your feet are numb, you have a burning sensation on the soles of your feet or pins and needles in your feet, you have signs of possible nerve damage.

Foot nerves are the longest in our bodies and are therefore susceptible to damage by diabetes. If these nerves are damaged, the feelings are lessened, so we could have the cuts or blisters that can lead to ulcers, and we wouldn't even know about it.

Prevention:

Check your feet regularly to be sure there are no signs of injury. If you develop corns or calluses, have them treated immediately by a podiatrist. Wash and dry carefully between your toes, and keep your nails trimmed and smooth.

Everyone likes to have their feet pampered, but for us diabetics it not only feels good, it also prevents serious health problems in the future. So book that foot massage now! http://www.thediabetesinfoplace.com

Diabetes Information You Must Have

Health: Foot care for diabetics

The feet are often overlooked, but for diabetics, proper foot care can be a matter of life and death.

Foot care is critical for people with diabetes because the high blood sugar levels caused by the condition can damage blood vessels and nerves in the body. Damage to the nerves may cause burning pain or loss of feeling in parts of the body, while damage to the blood vessels may prevent the feet from getting a good supply of blood.

According to Roche Diagnostics Diabetes educator, Doris Foong: “What this means is that slower blood circulation to the feet can make people with diabetes unable to feel pain and/or detect injuries to their feet. This can be very dangerous to their physical well-being and health as it can, sometimes, lead to death.”

She was conducting a hands-on workshop on The importance Of Foot Care, Tips On Foot Care and Choosing Proper Footwear in Petaling Jaya recently.

During the workshop, she raised the following important points.

Tips on foot care

* Examine your feet every day from top to bottom, looking and feeling in between the toes and heel area. Look for cuts, sores, blisters, corns and calluses. Use a mirror or ask someone for help if you are unable to see your feet properly.

* Wash your feet every day with lukewarm (not hot) water and mild soap. Do not soak your feet as this will make the skin too soft and fragile; do not use rough massage gloves or brushes and do not wash your feet for too long.

* Dry your feet thoroughly with a soft towel and pat gently; don’t rub. Make sure you dry between your toes as damp skin can lead to infections. You can also dust your feet with talcum powder to keep them dry.

* If the skin of your feet is too dry, you can use a moisturizer to prevent cracking. Do not, however, apply moisturizer between your toes as this may lead to infection.

* Trim your toe nails regularly with toe nail clippers after washing and drying your feet. Trim them according to the shape of your toes, and not too short. Remember not to cut into the corners of the nail, which may cause an ingrown toenail. File your toenails with a nail file to smoothen them.

* Instruments used for pedicures, such as rasps for removing calluses, razor blades, pointed scissors and corn plasters are “no-nos” for people with diabetes as they can easily cause injuries or damage the skin.

Use a pumice stone to remove calluses, after washing the feet. Gently rub the stone over the callus in one direction only. Do this for five minutes a day until the callus is removed.

* Always wear sandals when visiting a swimming pool.

* Do not walk anywhere barefoot, not even indoors.

* Do not let your feet get too hot or too cold.

* Do foot exercises and massage your feet every day to stimulate circulation. DO NOT go to a foot massage parlour for a massage as that may injure your feet.

* If your feet have any cuts or abrasions, clean the wound immediately with saline. Apply an antiseptic cream and secure a sterile dressing to the area, and continue with dressing until the wound is healed. Seek medical treatment if the wound does not show signs of healing after two days.

Tips on proper footwear

* The perfect fit should be top priority when buying shoes.

* Wear well-cushioned (insoles) walking shoes or athletic shoes. They should have leather or canvas uppers that breathe to keep your feet from getting sweaty.

* Do not wear open-toed shoes or sandals with a strap between the first and second toes, as this may injure your toes.

* Your shoes should fit both the length and width of the foot, with room for the toes.

* Avoid shoes that are tight, have high heels and/or pointed toes as increased pressure may cause ulcers.

* Its best to buy shoes at the end of the day when feet are a little swollen. If shoes are comfortable when your feet are swollen, they will be comfortable all day.

* Break in new shoes slowly by wearing them for no more than an hour a day for several days.

* Always wear socks or stockings with your shoes to prevent blisters and sores.

* Choose soft socks made of cotton or cotton-polyester blend which will help keep your feet dry. Avoid wearing socks that are too tight around your legs as they can constrict circulation to your feet. Remember to change your socks or stockings everyday.

* Always check the inside of your shoes for foreign items before wearing them. These items could rub against your feet and cause blisters and sores.

Foong reiterated that this simple list of dos and don’ts should be adhered to religiously, as it can make all the difference between having a healthy pair of feet to walk on, rather than the suffering and inconvenience of amputation or worse, death

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Complications Of Diabetes: Foot Problems

Diabetes is a chronic disease which gives many complications in time. One complication refers to the foot problems which can appear due to nerve damage and blood vessel damage all caused by diabetes. As there is no visible lesion on the exterior of the leg and only inside, the patient will not go to the doctor in the early stages of the foot problem. When an infection or a large sore will be visible then the patient will present for treatment but in that stage the body will have fewer chances to fight the infection with all the treatment's help and drastic measures will be needed in order to save the foot.

In order to avoid such complications the diabetic patient should educate himself in checking his feet every day to see in there is any sign of infection, should wash his feet daily and they apply a softening cream on the dry areas. In order to have a good circulation of the blood the patient should have an active lifestyle, should stop smoking and should remind the doctor to check on his feet every time he goes for a visit to the doctor's office.

Doctors recommend that a patient suffering of diabetes type 2 to go for a visit every three months. From time to time a complete examination is needed. This means that the blood pressure will be checked, the foot will be examined, and a neurological exam will be performed along with an ophthalmologic exam too. The level of glucose in the blood must also be checked.

Once a year, the patient will have other investigations like: a urine test for protein, serum creatinine, cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides, and an ECG.

In order to reduce the risk of complications the patient needs to keep diabetes under control, meaning controlling blood glucose and blood pressure which will save the patient from stroke and heart failure.

The long term complications are: diabetic retinopathy (this means that the eye is affected), diabetic neuropathy (the nerves have been affected), diabetic nephropathy (the kidney is affected), atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease.

The diabetic patient should call the doctor if headaches, confusion, trembling, double vision or dizziness install. Calling the doctor is needed because these manifestations can transform into convulsions, unconsciousness, or hypoglycemic coma.

It is highly recommended for people aged over 45 to have their blood level of glucose checked every 3 years and even sooner if there is a family history of diabetes.