How should diabetic foot care be adhered to?

It has been opined that diabetes can be dangerous to the feet where even a small cut can have serious consequences. Due to diabetes, there is nerve damage that can take away feelings in the feet. It can also reduce blood flow in the feet which makes injuries harder to heal or it is also harder to resist infection. It is because of these issues that you might not notice the foreign object in the shoe. And as a result, you might develop a blister or even a sore. This, in turn, can lead to an infection or also a non-healing wound that might put you at risk for amputation. In order to make sure that you are at bay of such serious foot problems which might result in losing a foot, or toe or leg, one should follow these below guidelines.

1. You should inspect your feet daily: You should, every day, check out for blisters, cuts, redness, nail problems or swelling. You can also use a magnifying hand mirror in order to look at the bottom of your feet. You should also call up your doctor if you notice anything.
2. You should be gentle while you are bathing your feet: While bathing, you should wash your feet with a soft washcloth or sponge. You should dry the feet by patting or blotting and you should also carefully dry out between the toes.
3. Wear socks that are especially worn by the patients who live with diabetes: These types of socks are said to have extra cushioning where there are no elastic tops and are said to be higher than the ankle where it is made from fibres that can wick the moisture away from the skin.
4. Don’t walk barefoot: You should not do this even at home. You should always wear slippers or shoes. If you don’t, you might step on something where you can get cut or scratch.
5. Never smoke: Smoking can result in restricting the blood flow in your feet.
6. Moisturise it but not in between your toes: You should use a moisturizer daily in order to keep your skin dry from cracking or itching. But make sure that you should not moisturize between the toes where this can lead to a fungal infection.
7. Cut your nails carefully: While cutting your nails, you should cut them straight across and you should also file the edges. Do not cut the nails too short since it can lead to ingrown toenails. You should also consult your doctor if you have any concerns about your nails.

There are many other things which can be done like keeping feet warm and dry and taking care of the blood sugar levels. If you think that your feet should be tended by the professional doctor then Dr Oleg Karpenko provides the best diabetic foot care in Brooklyn, NY where he also provides the best arthritic foot care in Brooklyn and is one of the best Brooklyn hospitals in Podiatry Clinic.

Welcome to Dr. Karpenko DPM, your source for premier foot and ankle care in Georgetown, Brooklyn and the surrounding areas.

Our team’s goal is to make every visit as comfortable and informative as possible. We offer comprehensive foot and ankle care for all types of conditions with an emphasis on non-surgical treatment when possible.