If you have diabetes, you probably are familiar with the numbness and reduced sensations in your feet. Diabetes damages the nerves and blood vessels in your feet, making them more prone to injuries. The injuries take longer to heal, while slight cuts or blisters progress to complex foot ulcers, which can cause prolonged hospital stays. As such, diabetic foot care The Woodlands helps you find relief from this distressing experience with expert care. Some diabetic foot care tips you should be well attuned with include;
Inspect your Feet on a Daily Basis
Nerve damage in diabetic patients makes it hard for them to tell when they are hurt. As such, inspect for cuts, cracks, swelling, redness, corns, blisters, or other changes to the toes or nails. Do not forget to look in between the toes. If it is hard for you to see the bottom of the feet, you can ask for help or use a mirror.
Wash your feet with lukewarm water
Using mild soap, ensure that you wash your feet with warm water. Avoid using harsh soaps and hot water, as this can damage your skin. Moreover, do not test how hot the water is using your feet. Use your fingers or an elbow before you submerge your whole feet. This is because your diabetic foot could already be insensitive to water temperatures.
Avoid Going Barefoot
Even when you are indoors, ensure that you are always in shoes and socks. This helps avoid injuries. Another shoe and socks shopping tip, look for shoes that have more depth in the toe box to ensure that they provide more coverage for the top and bottom of the feet. Additionally, the shoe should be seamless on the inside to prevent it from rubbing on your feet. For the socks, ensure that they are also seamless and made from double padding of either cotton or another fabric that controls moisture.
Keep your Feet Dry
After washing your feet, ensure that you pat them dry to avoid infections. Infections thrive in moist areas, so ensure that you remember to wipe between your toes too. Even after a walk, your feet may get sweaty. As such, the airtight space between your toes may get moist. Ensure you towel the area dry after removing your shoes and socks to prevent infections.
Ensure your feet get checked by a podiatric
If you have corn and calluses, don’t treat them yourself. Moreover, keep off from over-the-counter medications as they can further irritate your skin. Ensuring that you visit your doctor every year for a complete exam is also advisable, especially if you have a diabetic foot. The checks ensure that your blood flow to your feet also gets checked.
Even though living without pain sounds like an enticing idea, pain is the body’s way of saying everything is not okay. As such, people with diabetes are prone to nerve damage, which makes them experience no pain or other sensations to heat or cold. However, with the above tips and ongoing doctor’s visits, it is possible to prevent complex diabetic foot problems.