Posts for tag: diabetic feet
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a term used to describe nerve damage in the feet often associated with diabetes. Most of the time peripheral neuropathy can be felt as numbness, tremor, weakness, tingling, pain, itching, and pins and needles. These first pain symptoms can worsen to become so severe that patients cannot allow a bedsheet to touch their feet as they sleep. More commonly noticed is the area of numbness in the toes, slowly expands into the foot and leg.
These symptoms are a result of nerve loss. Nerves come in two forms, those relaying feeling information like pain, temperature, or touch and those relaying information to muscles to cause movement. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy usually starts with a loss of feeling with damage to the sensory fibers beginning at the place farthest from the brain: toes, feet, and legs. The numbness will not allow feeling of pain or temperature on the numb areas. As a result, infections develop more easily do to cuts, scrapes, or ulcers that go unnoticed.
There is no perfect treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which is why maintaining a healthy blood glucose level is important. For most people managing blood glucose levels will slow down or even prevent further nerve damage. This is not the case in everyone, as diabetic peripheral neuropathy is not always caused by poor glucose levels. Management of pain can be a large treatment concern. To combat the pain many doctors focus on prescription drugs that block or slow down pain receptors preventing or lessening the patient's pain. Newer treatments include Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) and Evening Primrose Oil (EPO). These newer treatments help reduce pain and inflammation as well as reduce nerve damage and may be worth talking to your doctor about. Since none of the treatment methods can reverse the damage due to nerves, it is important to practice excellent preventative care. This includes keeping your blood glucose in a healthy range and keeping your feet healthy with daily care and checking numb areas for sores.
Diabetes is a serious health disorder. If you have diabetes, you are one of 23.6 million Americans affected. The most important step in handling your disease is not the diagnosis but the lifestyle changes needed to manage it. An inability to manage diabetes causes many concerns for your feet. Damage to your nerves, veins, and arteries can be so severe that amputation is the only treatment option. Below is a short list on how to maintain healthy feet and prevent problems caused by diabetes.
Wash feet daily.
Use mild soap and lukewarm water to wash your feet in the mornings or before bed. Make sure to dry carefully with a towel especially between toes and apply talcum powder to wick away any remaining moisture.
Inspect feet and toes daily.
Every day check your feet for cuts, bruises, sores, or changes to the toenails.
Wear thick soft socks.
Socks made with acrylic blend are great but avoid mended socks or those with seams that can cause skin injuries such as blisters.
Be properly measured and fitted every time you buy shoes.
Poorly fitted shoes are involved in the majority of problems that lead to amputations. Your foot size and shape may change over time leading to skin injuries if changes are not accounted for.
Stop smoking.
Tobacco can contribute to circulatory problems, which can increase in diabetics.
Never try to remove calluses, corns, or warts by yourself.
At-home treatments can burn the skin and cause lasting damage to your feet, while cutting can lead to more serious ulcers and lacerations.
Don't wear anything too tight around the legs.
Panty hose, panty girdles, thigh-highs, knee-highs, or men's dress socks can constrict circulation to legs and feet.
See your podiatric physician.
Regular visits to your podiatric physician are the best way to make sure your feet remain healthy.