Diabetic Foot Care in Key West for People with Diabetes
Diabetic foot care is vital if you have diabetes. If you neglect your feet and ankles, they can become infected or ulcerated. Diabetics also have a higher risk of developing Charcot’s foot, a painful condition that can lead to amputations. Your podiatrist will help you with diabetic foot care by giving you a foot exam and showing you how to select proper shoes for your lifestyle and activities.
If You Have Diabetes, it’s Essential to Take Good Care of Your Feet and Ankles
If you don’t take care of them, they may become seriously swollen and infected because the blood vessels in your feet are damaged by high blood sugar (diabetes). You also may not feel pain when something is wrong with one of your feet until it’s too late to prevent serious damage or even amputation.
To keep your diabetes under control and prevent foot complications, Get regular foot checkups from a doctor who knows aboutdiabetes foot care. Your doctor will inspect each toe for signs of redness or infection; swelling; sores that do not heal quickly; calluses thicker than ¼ inch (6 mm); cuts that do not heal quickly; bruises that turn blackish-blue instead of purple and yellowish-green within 3 days; nail changes such as thickening or crumbling edges; or numbness in the toes.
Examine Your Feet Every Day
Here are some foot care guidelines that should be followed often:
- Check your feet for red spots, foot ulcers, and calluses.
- Look for bruises, swelling, and cuts.
- Trim your toenail
- Look for punctures or cracks in your feet. These conditions may require you to drain fluid from a blister or drain a wound.
- Also look for blisters on your feet and toenail that are not healing properly or have become infected. These can lead to ulcers that may be difficult to treat without medical intervention.
