Health

Ways of Caring for Your Feet When You Have Diabetes

After being diagnosed with diabetes, you are encouraged to take care of your foot because you are at risk of developing diabetic foot ulcers. Therefore, if your feet become numb or tingling or are prone to infections, you might have diabetes-related foot conditions. In this case, you should consult your care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment to prevent serious complications that might even result in foot amputation. You can seek diabetic foot care Phoenix services and learn about a few ways you care for your foot, especially after being diagnosed with diabetes, to prevent diabetic ulcers. Below are a few ways in which you can care for your foot.

Ensure you inspect your feet daily

Your feet are usually the most active in the human body because they help you navigate from one place to another. For that reason, they are easily prone to cuts or cracks. Therefore, after settling down in the evening, you should inspect them for sores, cuts, blisters, calluses, bunions, redness, or ingrown toenails. If you observe any of the following, you should consult your care provider and receive treatment.

Prevent your blood sugar from rising

Unchecked or uncontrolled blood sugars usually increase your risks of nerve damage and poor blood circulation to your feet. As a result, you become prone to sores, numbness, and lingering infections. Usually, if your blood sugar levels remain high, you might develop foot ulcers which are more likely to be infected, resulting in gangrene, and later might cause amputation of your foot, toe, or leg.

Protect your feet

It would help if you cleaned your feet daily using warm water and mild soap and dried them even between your toes. Once they are dry, you can apply some lotion or oil on the bottom and top of your feet to help moisten the skin and prevent the formation of cracks that might cause an infection. It would help if you also put on comfortable and well-fitting shoes to help protect your feet, thus preventing the formation of corns, sores, blisters, and other related foot problems.

Regular checkups

When caring for your foot, you must adhere to your doctor’s appointments for routine checkups. Doing so plays an essential role in the early diagnosis of some conditions, enabling your care providers to provide treatment before complications arise or offer preventive measures. However, if your feet are tingling, numb, or have slow-healing sores, you should contact your caregiver immediately.

Cold and hot Dos and Don’ts

In most cases, diabetes usually makes your feet more sensitive to cold or hot, requiring you to avoid certain temperatures. For instance, you should protect your feet from high temperatures, avoid using electric blankets or heating pads, and clean your feet with lukewarm water.

Another important tip you can apply is staying healthy because when caring for your entire body, your feet are also included. Therefore, you can live a healthy life by sticking to your diabetes meal plan, limiting alcohol, monitoring your blood sugar, and quitting smoking. Exercises are also essential because they help reduce blood sugar, excess weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol levels. Suppose you have diabetes and are interested in learning various tips for caring for your feet; you can schedule your appointment at Phoenix Foot and Ankle Institute today and learn more about diabetes foot care, especially if you or your loved one has diabetes.

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