Diabetic Foot Care That Helps You Prevent Ulcers And Complications
If you have diabetes, you probably know you have to take good care of your feet. It's also a good idea to start seeing a podiatrist after your diagnosis so you can begin monitoring and foot care. Here are things a podiatrist can do for diabetic foot care.
Provide Diabetic Foot Care Education
Since you'll need to take care of your feet yourself at home, the podiatrist will teach you proper diabetic foot care. This involves things like examining your feet daily, drying your feet after washing them, wearing diabetic socks and keeping them dry, wearing shoes that don't rub your feet, and using moisturizer on your feet. Your doctor will also teach you how to cut your toenails and they may advise you to make an appointment if you develop foot problems rather than treat them yourself.
Provide Nail Care
If you have trouble reaching your feet or your hands are unsteady, your podiatrist might trim your nails for you when you make an office visit. You don't want to accidentally cut your skin because that could lead to an infection. You also want to avoid making a deep cut when trimming or you might get an ingrown toenail that leads to an infection. Your podiatrist can cut your nails properly so you don't have any complications.
Provide Foot Examinations
During the same visit you get your nails trimmed, the podiatrist can check your feet for signs of problems. Since you may lose sensation in your feet, you could have a cut or infection and not know it. That's why regular examinations at home are important. If your foot circulation and sensation problems are advanced, your podiatrist might want to see you in the office every few months so they can help you watch for foot problems and treat them early.
Provide Wound Care
Diabetic ulcers are common complications of diabetes, and early treatment is important or an infection can get out of control and cause you to lose a toe or foot. Your podiatrist will want to know right away if you see an ulcer or wound on your foot. They can clean the wound and apply medication and dressings. They may need to trim away dead tissue.
It may take months for a wound to heal, and it will need proper care the whole time or you might go to the hospital. The podiatrist might also offer advice for home care that includes eating enough protein to help your wound heal and keeping your blood sugar under control. You may also need to stay off your foot as much as possible, and that might mean you'll need to use a wheelchair while your foot heals.
For more info about diabetic foot care, contact a local company.