Diabetic Foot Care in Key West for People with Diabetes
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 about diabetes 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.
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Guidelines to Improve Diabetic Foot Health
It is important to wash your feet daily with warm water and soap, not hot water. Dry your feet thoroughly, especially between the toes. Do not apply lotion between the toes, as this may clog pores causing fungal infections. These measures can help prevent further complications for people with diabetes.
Do not soak your feet in hot water or use hot water bottles or heating pads because they can cause burns without you feeling it. Heat can damage the nerves in your feet, and you may not feel a burn until it is too late. You can still use a heating pad or warm foot wrap. Just make sure that it is covered with a towel so that no skin is exposed directly to the heat.
Lastly, if you have Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 or 2 and are experiencing numbness or tingling sensations in your toes (or even other areas), massage can be beneficiall in promoting blood flow throughout the affected areas. Those areas are often experiencing decreased circulation due to poor mobility around certain joints or limbs. They may even suffer from nerve damage caused by a lack of oxygenated blood properly reaching these regions.
You and Your Toenails
If you are diabetic, then your toenails may be affected. The condition is called onychomycosis and it is a fungal infection of the nail plate that can lead to pain and discomfort. The best way to treat diabetic toenails is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here are some tips:
- Check your feet every day for signs of infection or irritation. If you notice changes, call your doctor right away.
- Wear shoes that fit well and protect your feet from injury. These will help cut down on cracks that can lead to infections, which could cause the need for amputation later on down the road if left untreated
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Choosing the Right Footwear (Shoes and Socks)
The shoes you wear can make a big difference in your diabetic foot care. Podiatrists recommend that you wear shoes that are comfortable, not too tight or too loose. Your podiatrist may also advise you to replace them regularly as they become worn out and damaged.
- Shoes should be made of leather or another synthetic material such as rubber or plastic. Leather provides some protection against rubbing against the skin, which can lead to ulcers and other foot problems with diabetics.
- Make sure your shoes fit well: they should not be too tight or loose on any part of your feet, especially around the heel and arch area where there are nerves close to the surface of skin (the ball). It is important that these areas remain supported while moving around so they do not get pinched between bones in tendons from walking wrong due to pressure from poorly fitted footwear causing pain inside feet when walking long distances outside
- Taking proper care of your feet is essential for everyone, but especially those with diabetes. Diabetics have some unique challenges because of the way blood pressure affects their bodies. Only your podiatrist can diagnose you and prevent problems before they become more serious. If you’re looking for a foot checkup, maybe sure to get in touch!
The ankle is one of the most commonly injured joints in the body. In fact, about 15% of all fractures occur at this location—and even more are treated for other injuries involving the ankle. A foot doctor will often recommend way to treat your ankle sprain and prevent future injuries.
Podiatrist in Key West
Urgent Foot Care is your Key West foot and diabetic footcare specialist. We’re located at 2780-2 N Roosevelt Blvd and we offer the most comprehensive and affordable foot care services in Key West. Our expert podiatrists provide treatment for all types of foot problems, including bunions, hammertoes, heel pain, ingrown toenails and warts. If you have diabetes or poor circulation to your feet, we can help you with your diabetic footcare needs. Please, get in touch!
Our state-of-the-art facilities, fracture experts, and sports medicine specialists offer digital X-rays and laser treatments for pain and other conditions. We also offer the latest in treatment of spider veins, wound care, and other sports medicine injuries.