Foot Care Tips For Diabetics

Diabetes Patients Must Know

In India there are more than 50 million people having diabetes. There are more than 40,000 amputations every year because of diabetes in India. As everybody knows wound healing is delayed in diabetics, so diabetic patients should protect their feet from any kind of trauma, infection or any other insult. Half of the amputations are because of negligence or because of casual attitude of people about preventive diabetic foot care. Nearly 60% of diabetic have decreased or complete loss of sensation in the feet called as numbness or neuropathy. Patient may complain of burning, tingling, numbness, crawling of insect like feeling in feet or walking in a mattress like feeling which are an indicator of weakness of nerves carrying sensation for pain, touch, temperature, position and vibration. Irritability of nerves gives above mentioned symptoms to the patient. For diabetic patients it becomes very important to take care of their feet, as rightly said "if you have diabetes, take care of your feet as you take care of your face".

FOOT CARE TIPS FOR DIABETICS

• Check your feet every day.
• Wash your feet every day.
• Dry well your feet after bath and washing of feet, especially between the toes.
• Keep the skin soft and smooth, use moisturizing cream if your skin is dry but avoid putting cream between the toes.
• Wear extra width, extra depth and well cushioned footwear. Always wear cotton and woolen shoes.
• Take extra care to trim your nails, trim your nails straight, avoid deep cutting of your nails, you may injure the skin around the nails.
• Never use hot water bottle, heating electric pads on feet and dip your feet in hot water
• Avoid bath room surgeries for corns and calluses and do not use corn cap available in the market for removal of corns and calluses.
• Do regular exercise, as per the advice of your doctor.
• Never neglect any cuts, injury to skin, swelling, redness, infection of skin and nails, take prompt medical advice, and avoid self medication.