What is Diabetic Foot?
Diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, poses a lifetime risk for diabetes foot up to 34 percent. Uncontrolled diabetes is a significant risk factor for diabetic foot, which manifests as foot ulceration, neuropathy, deformity, or vascular disease. Taking good care of diabetic foot is crucial to prevent amputation.
What are the common symptoms for Diabetic foot?
Patients commonly complain that they are feeling burning, numbness, or tingling in their feet or calves, which can awaken them from sleep.
What is Diabetic foot care?
An annual comprehensive foot examination by a physician is strongly recommended. Patients are also urged to thoroughly inspect their feet daily for a toe injury, athlete foot, infection, callus formation, and ulceration. Physicians evaluate patients for neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease.
How to prevent Diabetic foot?
Controlling diabetes, quitting smoking, avoiding walking barefoot, even in the sand or deck, are vital in preventing diabetes foot. Moreover, small steps like washing feet with lukewarm water and drying thoroughly between the toes are helpful steps.
What sort of shoes do I need?
Physicians recommend to wear fitting socks, which should be changed daily, and shoes worn should snug but not fit too tight. Often, patients may need customized shoes.
How do I trim my toenails?
When it comes to trimming the toenails, shape them to toe, remove sharp edges, but do not cut cuticles.
Who should I seek help from?
A detailed conversation with your endocrinologist and podiatrist will help you manage diabetes foot and prevent amputation.
Q & A with Dr. Rehman.
Photo credits: Anis Rehman, MD – an Abandoned Castle, Scotland, Great Britain.
