::: DIABETES, FOOT & WOUND CARE CENTRE

General Tips for Foot Care

If you have diabetes you are more prone to foot problems, because the disease can damage your blood vessels and nerves. This, in turn, may make you less able to sense injury or pressure on your foot. You may not notice foot injury until severe infection develops. Diabetes also alters the immune system, decreasing the body's ability to fight infection. Small infections may rapidly progress to death of the skin and other tissues (necrosis causing) "Gangrene", which may require amputation of the affected limb to save the patient's life. Foot problems can be prevented in part with improved blood sugar control.

If you have diabetes, you are at higher risk for developing foot problems if you :

Have had diabetes for more than 10 years
Have poor glucose control
Have eyes, kidneys, or heart problems
Are male
Smoke

All diabetics should get regular foot exams - Because of nerve damage caused by diabetes feet may be “insensate”. Pt may not come to know about any injury, burn or infection etc. of feet. To prevent injury to the feet when you have diabetes, you should adopt a DAILY routine of checking and caring for your feet, especially if you already have known nerve or blood vessel damage or current foot problems.

Inspect your feet regularly. Pay attention to changes in color and temperature.
Immediately Contact Us if yellow patches or black spots appear on foot skin or toes start getting black (which may be sign of "Gangrene" leading to amputation).
Look for thick or discolored nails (a sign of developing fungus), and check for cracks or cuts in the skin. Peeling or scaling on the soles of feet could indicate Athlete's foot.
Any redness of skin of foot may indicate infection because of cellulitis or deep seated infection.
It may be dangerous to have one foot or part of foot warmer than surrounding skin or other foot. Immediately Contact Us.
Any swelling of toes/foot or leg should be noticed.

Follow the instructions below.

Don't ignore foot pain. It's not normal. If the pain persists, Contact Us
Wash your feet regularly ( Twice a day ), especially between the toes,and be sure to dry them completely.
Trim toenails straight across, but not too short. Be careful not to cut nails in corners or on the sides; it can lead to ingrown toenails. Persons with diabetes & poor circulation should not treat their own feet because they are more prone to infection.
Make sure that your shoes fit properly.
Select and wear the right shoe for the activity that you are engaged in ( i.e. running shoes for running ).
Alternate shoes - don't wear the same pair of shoes every day.
Avoid walking barefooted, not even in bathroom. Your feet will be more prone to injury and infection.
Be cautious when using home remedies for foot ailments. Self-treatment can often turn a minor problem into a major one.
If you are a diabetic, Contact Our Clinic for better control of Blood Sugar. Uncontrolled Diabetes is root cause of most of the complications of Diabetes including Feet Problems.