Health Network News

When you are diabetic, it is necessary to look after your feet. Diabetes make you more prone to having sores and infections of the feet as the medical condition can affect the sensitivity of nerves. As part of health checks the doctor will usually inspect your feet to ensure there are no problems and give advice about diabetic foot care.

Problems that are noticed with the feet should not be self treated, you should try to get professional advice as to the best treatment. Clean and dry feet are a major part of avoiding infections and sores along with well trimmed toe nails. Regular, preferably daily inspection, of both the feet and in between toes is vital to prevent problems going unnoticed. Athletes foot and areas of dry skin should be treated with anti fungal and moisturisers.

The patient should never walk about without some type of footwear to protect their feet. Wearing some type of footwear will prevent the person from treading on small objects such as small toys or stones and suffering cuts and bruises to their feet. When wearing shoes, socks should be worn to prevent the shoes from rubbing. The socks should not be tight fitting and should be free from seams and elastic.

If you are looking for shoes, you should look for ones that are not likely to rub the feet and perhaps cause bunions or corns to develop. The toes of the shoes should have plenty of room for the toes, avoid shoes with pointed toes. Avoid high heels that can cause pressure to areas of the feet. Buy shoes that have secure fastenings such as laces or buckles and avoid the slip on type of shoes.

To get a better feel of the shoe, it is a good idea to wear the type of sock you normally wear. Have a good feel about inside the shoe with your hand to make sure there is no loose stitching or rough patches that could rub against the feet. If you have problems with the size or shape of your feet, it may be necessary to get shoes specially made.

People with the health condition many have damaged nerves due to a high level of sugar in the blood stream and therefore the feet may be more prone to burns as the nerves can not feel the sensation of the heat. It is therefore necessary to avoid using hot water bottles, electric blankets and foot spas. When checking bath water it is necessary to check the temperature with a hand before stepping into the water.

It is possible to buy socks that are specially made to protect the feet against sores, nerve damage and swelling. These socks will help improve the circulation in the feet and lower legs. The socks are generally made of loose fitting materials and have no elastic or seams that can rub against the feet causing problems.

As part of the daily foot inspection routine, you could use one of the many products available on the market. These products are suitable for rough and dry skin and help with the renewal of skin. Antibacterial creams that increase blood flow and prevent infections are also available.