What Is Diabetic Foot And Effective Ways To Care

By Author: Jessica Cristina
Total Articles: 17
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Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that brings in further complications like a diabetic foot or foot ulcers. Diabetic foot is one of the most typical problems experienced by people who do not control their blood glucose levels for a long time. Regardless of the types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes mellitus) diagnosed, diabetic foot can emerge to be a big problem.

Subsequently, diabetic foot damages the skin tissue in either one or both feet breaks out and exposes several layers inside it. A diabetic foot is generally found under bigger toes and along with the empty spaces of the feet. If timely and effective treatment is not undertaken, diabetic foot causes more severity and can affect the patient’s feet up till the bones.

While on the other hand, the diabetic foot can be treated with regular foot care, relevant medication, and effective diabetes management in the form of blood sugar levels monitoring, active lifestyle, and nutrition-rich diet. Additionally, consistent medical assistance is necessary as even a minor prick in the foot can trigger discomfort and lead to foot amputation.

How does diabetes affect your feet?

Even slight negligence in maintaining blood sugar levels, especially in type 2 diabetes, can affect the feet' wellbeing. That’s because, over time, diabetes damages the nerves present in the feet, leading to their numbness.

Unfortunately, it proves difficult for diabetics as they cannot feel any irritation, infection, or soreness in the feet. Due to numbness, even a slight discomfort may go unnoticed and result in increased chances of cuts, sores, and blisters, etc. If a diabetic patient affected with foot ulcers is not given proper treatment for an infection, the ulcer may develop into gangrene.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Diabetic foot symptoms may vary from patient to patient. Usually, the symptoms depend on the specific physical or mental issues faced by the patient at that time. Typical symptoms of the diabetic foot include:

● Numbness or tingling sensation
● Blisters, cuts, or wounds without pain
● Staining on socks
● Skin discoloration
● Red streaks on feet
● Mild to severe painful tingling

How to care for diabetic foot?

Following are a few simple, yet effective ways to care for diabetic foot or foot ulcers:

● Examine your feet daily for any transformations or injuries
● Keep your feet clean and dry to prevent infections
● Protect your feet with comfortable and diabetes-friendly footwear
● Trim toenails carefully and keep them short
● Avoid self-medication for corns and calluses
● Keep your blood sugar levels under control
● Stay away from alcohol and tobacco
● Put your feet up while sitting down and wiggle them more often for enhanced blood flow

In case you notice any symptoms of foot ulcers, consult with your doctor or caregiver without any further delay. Your doctor might prescribe relevant antibiotics or antiplatelets to treat your ulcer if the infection does not outgrow timely. For more information about diabetes and diabetic foot care, do check online or visit your doctor more often.