Following a diabetes diagnosis, patients must learn to take extra care with their bodies not only in terms of what they eat and how regularly they check their glucose levels, but to make sure they are receiving the appropriate level of diabetes foot treatment they require.
Newly-diagnosed diabetes patients will probably not be surprised to hear that regular blood sugar monitoring and dietary restrictions will be new parts of their health care regimen, but it can seem surprising to hear that their condition also requires attentive foot care. This is because the excessive blood sugar caused by diabetes can slowly eat away at the capillaries in one's extremities, causing nerve damage that results in pain or numbness, and the feet are a prime target for this sort of neuropathy. Sometimes a loss of feeling in your feet can mean that you need to be extra vigilant about checking for wounds that you may have received but not felt, while sometimes only a partial loss of feeling can cause an unpleasant "needles and pins" sensation for the patient.
Basic Foot Maintenance For Diabetics
The most important things any diabetic can do for her feet is to keep them clean, dry, and warm, with the aim of retaining whatever blood circulation still exists in the feet. To that end, avoid activities such as sitting cross-legged, smoking, or wearing socks or hosiery with tight elastic, all of which can impede blood flow. While trimming your toenails, cut straight across and use an emery board to file down the corners, at the same time as keeping a close eye out for ingrown toenails, which should be treated by a podiatrist. Finally, pay special attention to the tender skin between your toes: treat these areas gingerly when towel-drying your feet and never apply lotion in there.
Diabetic Orthotics
When it comes to socks and shoes, the main attributes to look for are unrestrictive and warm. However, sometimes diabetics require footwear of a more specialized nature. A podiatrist specializing in diabetes foot treatment will be able to fit you with orthotics: shoe inserts (or, in some cases, special shoes) that provide the precise types of support and room your feet need both to aid in walking and to avoid the sorts of restrictions that ordinary shoes can place on parts of the feet that require special attention for diabetics.
Diabetic Foot Care Devices
In addition to orthotics, there are a number of devices on the market that can make it easier for diabetics to enjoy life with a minimum of pain related to their disease. For instance, diabetics who are bothered by the sensation of sheets or blankets resting on their feet in bed may find it helpful to purchase (or build) a blanket lift bar, which can be fitted at the end of the bed to hold the blankets above their toes' clearance. Many such simple devices exist to make diabetics' lives easier, so a conversation with your podiatrist or even a visit to your local medical supply shop might introduce you to assistive technology you hadn't realized existed!
Remember that there's never any need to suffer in silence with foot pain resulting from diabetes. Foot treatment regimens and procedures provided by a qualified podiatrist can ensure that your feet last as long as you do!
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