Diabetes (high glucose levels in your blood) can eventually damage nerves, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels, and decrease your ability to fight infection. Often, nerve and blood vessel damage in the feet can lead to serious problems for diabetics.
Proper foot care is very important for diabetics. If you’ve developed reduced blood flow and nerve damage in your feet, be extremely diligent with foot care. Prevention is key: because of decreased blood flow, your body will have a hard time fighting infection and fungal diseases or delivering antibiotics.
Examine your feet daily: Check the tops and bottoms, or have someone else look at your feet if you can’t see them. Look for any cuts or sores, cracks, blisters, or any place that’s extra warm or tender. Bandage blisters and wear different shoes, and get ingrown toenails, corms or calluses treated.
Wash and dry your feet daily: use warm (not hot!) water, gentle soap, and gentle patting to dry, especially between toes. Use lotion to prevent drying and cracking on the tops and bottoms of your feet.
Care for your nails: cut your toenails when they’re soft, after soaking. Cut them straight across, not into the corners. Having a foot specialist or podiatrist examine your feet and cut your toenails can be worthwhile.
Protect your feet: wear good fitting shoes and socks or hard-soled slippers. Don’t go barefoot. Walking and exercise is good, but make sure you are using proper footwear. Wear good boots that will keep your feet warm and dry, dry them out when you come inside, and make sure there’s nothing in your shoes or boots when you put them on. People with nerve damage might have a hard time feeling a pebble or twig, for example. Getting new shoes? Try them on with the socks you’d normally wear them with, and avoid tight socks. Cotton or a wool/cotton blend is best.
Cold feet at night? Get some warm, cozy but loose fitting socks for bed. Beware of heating pads or hot water bottles. Be careful if you must get up in the night.
Take care of your diabetes! Keep your blood sugar under control, don’t smoke, and make sure you’re getting regular foot exams to avoid any complications of diabetes. Ask your doctor what signs to watch for, and how soon you should be contacting a medical professional for foot issues.
With our Maine winters, it’s easy to get cold, wet feet. Plan ahead to be as comfortable as possible in 2012!