If you have diabetes, diabetic foot care is a top priority. People with this illness have an increased risk of a number of foot problems, including bunions, calluses, ingrown toenails, and foot ulcers. Without immediate care, these problems can lead to serious complications. Below is an explanation about how diabetes impacts your feet and how to protect them.

What Is the Correlation Between Diabetes & Foot Care?

Many diabetics experience nerve damage, which can reduce the ability to feel pain, heat, and cold. If you can’t feel anything on your feet, you may not notice any lacerations, such as deep cuts from improper footwear, or blister formations. If these conditions aren’t treated promptly, you could get a serious infection and need more advanced treatment.

Diabetes can also hinder blood flow to your feet. Without proper circulation, cuts and sores will take longer to heal and may become infected. In severe cases, these infections can lead to gangrene.

How Can You Keep Your Feet Healthy?

If you check your feet every day for cuts, sores, blisters, ingrown toenails, and other changes, you can identify problems before they become too serious. Massage your feet to feel for any sores, cuts, or other abnormal formations. If you’re unable to reach your feet, ask a friend or family member for assistance.

Additionally, it’s crucial to always wear shoes, even when you’re inside your house. Choose shoes that fit properly and have enough room in the toes to ensure your toenails grow straight, rather than downward.

Perhaps the most thorough way to keep your feet healthy is by cleaning them every day with warm water and soap. This will help prevent infections from bacteria buildup, so make sure to incorporate this into your diabetic foot care routine. Dry your feet thoroughly, especially between your toes, before putting your socks and shoes back on.

To learn more about diabetic foot care, turn to Eastern CT Foot Specialists in Norwich or North Windham. These podiatrists will diagnose and treat a wide variety of foot issues, from heel pain to bunions, and are committed to making sure patients receive the best care. They also offer individualized solutions to common foot problems and provide fully customized orthotics. For more information about their services, call (860) 887-3538 for the Norwich office or (860) 456-9593 for the North Windham office, or visit their website.