Here’s what to look for and some prevention ideas.

Symptom:

If your feet are constantly cold, your legs are sore when you walk, or your feet hurt in bed at night, you may be suffering from poor blood circulation. This, in turn, can slow down the process of healing when you have cuts or other damage to your feet.

Prevention:

Staying physically active is one way to help improve your circulation. You also need to control your blood fat and sugar levels, as well as your blood pressure. And of course, don’t smoke.

Symptom:

If your feet are numb, you have a burning sensation on the soles of your feet or pins and needles in your feet, you have signs of possible nerve damage.

Foot nerves are the longest in our bodies and are therefore susceptible to damage by diabetes. If these nerves are damaged, the feelings are lessened, so we could have the cuts or blisters that can lead to ulcers, and we wouldn’t even know about it.

Prevention:

Check your feet regularly to be sure there are no signs of injury. If you develop corns or calluses, have them treated immediately by a podiatrist. Wash and dry carefully between your toes, and keep your nails trimmed and smooth.

Everyone likes to have their feet pampered, but for us diabetics it not only feels good, it also prevents serious health problems in the future. So book that foot massage now!

If you don’t look after your feet you run the risk of developing sores or infections that could, in the worst case scenario, lead to amputations. As happened to my father-in-law.  Reduce your risk of infection or amputation by incorporating these 7 foot care tips…

1)  Check your feet daily – especially if you have low sensitivity or no feeling in your feet. Sores, cuts and grazes could go unnoticed and you could develop problems leading to amputations.

2)  Don’t go around barefoot, even indoors. It’s easy to tread on something or stub your toes and cut yourself. Protect your feet with socks/stockings and
shoes/slippers.

3)  Be careful if you have corns or calluses. Check with your doctor or podiatrist the best way to care for them.

4)  Wash your feet daily in warm, NOT HOT water. And don’t soak your feet (even if you’ve been standing all day) because it could dry your skin and form cracks or sores.

5)  Take extra care to dry your feet completely, especially between your toes. These are natural moisture traps – leaving them damp or wet could create all sorts of problems.

6)  Exercise your legs and feet regularly. Even when sitting you can rotate your ankles; wiggle your toes or move your legs up and down. These all keep your blood circulation flowing and helps to minimize the risk of foot problems.

7)  Get your feet professionally checked, at least once a year, for sensitivity and signs of any problems.  You can usually arrange this when you have your annual check up for your AC1 levels (blood glucose levels over a 3-month period), blood pressure and cholesterol.

Take constant care of your feet. Get help from a relative or professional; Doctor, diabetic nurse or podiatrist if you are not able to bend when trimming nails or checking for sores.  Taking these simple actions will help you reduce the risk of painful problems.

If you enjoyed this post, then make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feed.

Post if you have any comments.

Jerry J. Jansen
http://jsdigitalsales.com
http://elitemarketingsite.com
http://qualitybinocularsstore.com
http://nikon-digital-camera-accessories.com
http://websitesbyjs.com
http://jerryjansen.name