Diabetics face several health problems including nerve damage and poor blood circulation, which make their feet vulnerable to skin sores, calluses, corns, and other foot conditions that can worsen quickly and can be difficult to treat.
Diabetic foot care refers to a series of conditions and actions needed for diabetics to take when it comes to the health of their feet. Some serious foot problems diabetics face are foot ulcers, numbing of the feet, Charcot foot, and infections. It’s important to inspect your feet daily for bruises, cuts, scratches, redness, warmth, blisters, ulcers, wounds, cuts, pressure-sensitive areas, and nail issues. If you need assistance inspecting your feet ask someone to help you or you can use a mirror to help you check all around your feet.
Because of poor circulation, numbing of the feet, nerve damage, and slow healing wounds small wounds, cuts, and scratches along with ulcers and sores can quickly worsen which can lead to other severe issues that can lead to amputation in the most severe cases.
Inspect your feet daily and check in regularly with your podiatrist and primary care physician.
The American Diabetes Association reports there are 34.2 million Americans with diabetes in 2018, which translates to over 10% of the U.S. population. Furthermore, there’s an average of 1.5 million Americans being diagnosed each year. With proper management of diabetes and careful foot care, you can prevent many problems from occurring with your feet. Make sure to follow up with your podiatrist as they instruct and follow up with your primary care physician regularly to keep track of your diabetes.