Foot care is one of the basic necessities of every individual, and when it is about diabetic patients it gets way too serious than a normal foot care routine. A foot infection or ailment often results in the loss of one of the limbs and that’s a risk no diabetic patient should ever take. Whether diabetes has been a companion for a long time or a person has been currently diagnosed with it, it is important to take care of the critical impact it has on one’s feet. Nerve damage or even infections and problems with blood circulation could cause serious problems if a person has regular high blood glucose levels (diabetes).

Keeping diabetes under control and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regular monitoring of blood sugar levels and balanced diet could help in minimizing the risks of any serious problem with the feet.

The various foot problems faced by diabetic patients

A diabetic patient whose blood sugar levels are not properly managed, suffers the following problems:

• The feet lose the basic sense of touch, cold or heat even in extreme temperatures.
• Color of the feet changes to a darker one.
• Thick toenails and yellowing of them.
• Budding corns, infections and ingrowths of toenails.
• Burning of feet.

It is better to go for the advice of medical practitioner immediately when the symptoms occur. Infections will worsen in feet o9f diabetic patients, do not heal and thus cause damage and death of skin and tissues. Often people go for treatment when it is too late, and the surgery involves removal of toe/ foot.

Foot Care Tips

Foot care could be ensured by the following steps:

• Check for any infections, corns, ulcers, cuts or sores. Swelling and ingrown toenails need to be taken into consideration before the condition worsens.
• Keep the feet clean and maintain overall hygiene so to ensure germs and bacteria do not reside. While washing feet, it is important to clean thoroughly and dry between toes. Also, wash them in warm water and later use powder to keep dry the skin between toenails.
• Keep the skin of feet soft and smooth with the help of absorbent lotions that do not stay greasy on feet.
• Smooth out rough ankles gently with the help of pumice and for corns, ask a doctor first if there’s a need of any external medication. Do not run razor blades or cut corns or calluses.
• Trim toenails regularly so to avoid ingrown toenails that lead to infections later.
• Wear comfortable shoes and socks at all times and make sure the socks are fresh every day containing no sweat at all (which could lead to bacterial infections in any scars or cuts).
• Wear shoes that are protective and fit best to your foot size.
• It is also important to keep the feet safe from any weather extremities and in cold and dry weather it gets all the more important to care for feet.
• Elevate legs when sitting so to ensure blood flow to feet.
• Do not sit cross-legged for long periods of time.

It is essential to take care of your feet if you’re a diabetic patient. Along with that, medication assistance could be required for which Rx helper provides prescription assistance, a diabetes assistance program for individuals who face difficulty affording expensive medication and treatment for diabetes. Enjoy a healthy lifestyle with smooth and well cared for feet!