Diabetes can cause foot problems in two ways. First, diabetes affects blood flow to the foot, competing for oxygen and nutrients to the foot. This in turn affects the healing of blisters, ulcers, and wounds. Second, diabetic nerve damage (also known as peripheral neuropathy), can cause numbness in the foot. If wounds and blisters are not perceived due to numbness when they occur, ulcers and infections can easily form.
If the ulcer is not treated, it can lead to a deep infection, which can lead to amputation in severe cases.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy can also cause severe foot pain. It makes the foot extremely sensitive, and even bed sheets can cause pain.
Fortunately, some therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) can be effective in preventing diabetic foot disease.
Check your feet every day
Perform a daily foot self-examination, making sure to check all toe crevices. This is because the toe crevices are the first places where blisters and infections appear. And because of diabetic neuropathy, once a lesion like this develops, you may only notice it when the pain is intense or the infection is severe.
If you are unable to do a self-exam for medical reasons, ask a family member to help you check.
Wash your feet with warm water instead of hot water
Simply wash your feet every day with warm, not hot, water. If your feet can’t sense the temperature, test the water temperature with your hands. Do not soak in the water for too long, as ulcers do not heal easily when submerged in water.
Wash your feet and dry them immediately afterwards, gently wiping each toe seam.
Choose shoes that fit
It pays to buy a pair of shoes that fit properly. Because even the slightest friction can lead to blistering infections and the formation of sores that won’t heal.
Buy a pair of well-fitting shoes or change to a comfortable pair of socks as soon as you experience mild redness or pain, as you will likely not feel the infection worsen. Before buying or putting on shoes, check them for rough seams, sharp edges, and other things that could hurt your feet. Get used to new shoes gradually.
Don’t go barefoot
Put on slippers even if you don’t go out. Don’t wear shoes barefoot because leather, plastic and man-made materials can irritate the skin and are highly likely to cause blisters.
While stockings, nylon mid-calf socks or thin socks look better, they do not adequately protect the toes and heels. Thick socks, on the other hand, can adequately protect the foot to slow the irritation of calluses or scars.
Speak up
Nerve damage can be unpredictable. Thus, it is important to inform your doctor of changes in your toes, feet or legs in a timely manner. Tell your doctor when you feel pain, tingling, pins and needles, numbness, or any other abnormal sign, even though it may be a small thing for you. All of these abnormal signs can lead to amputation, so it is definitely not a minor problem.
Keep the skin on the foot soft and dry
The skin may be dry and cracked from high blood sugar, making it susceptible to bacterial infections and infected wounds that do not heal easily. Use a small amount of lotion each day, but be sure your feet feel dry and not damp or sticky after use. Do not apply the lotion between the toes.
Trim your toenails regularly to prevent the appearance of ingrown nails. Use the lotion to soften the cuticle and make it easier to trim the toenail.
Gently polish the corns or calluses with a pumice stone after showering or bathing.
Try exercises that don’t compromise foot health
Exercises such as swimming, cycling, yoga and tai chi are becoming increasingly popular because they all have less impact on the feet. Please consult your doctor before implementing an exercise program.
Repairing bunions, corns, and mallet toes
A typical bunion is when the big toe leans heavily toward the other toes and a significant bump forms at the toe joint. Corns are keratosis due to localized pressure and friction on the skin tissue of the foot over a long period of time. Muscle weakness caused by diabetic nerve damage can lead to overflexion of the toes and the formation of mallet toes. All of these symptoms can cause foot discomfort when wearing shoes.
A reliable podiatrist is recommended for repair and care.
Consider an orthotic
If you have diabetic neuralgia or nerve-damaging muscle weakness, your podiatrist may recommend a shoe insertion orthosis to aid in treatment. If the nerve pain or muscle weakness is so severe that walking is difficult, a foot brace or orthotic shoe may also be considered. Consultation with a podiatrist is recommended regarding device selection.
Glucose control
Fundamentally, the best way to prevent nerve pain is to effectively manage diabetes. In fact, the 2006 National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) study showed that tight control of blood glucose with intensive insulin therapy reduced the probability of peripheral neuropathy symptoms (eg, tingling, burning, and pain) by 64% in patients with type 1 diabetes (which requires insulin). This was also true in studies of people with type 2 diabetes.
Whether you develop diabetic neuropathy depends on how long you have had diabetes and how well your blood sugar is controlled. Other factors, including blood pressure and lipid (cholesterol and triglyceride) control and smoking cessation, are also important in preventing diabetic neuropathy.
Glucose control can also help with diabetic neuropathy. So the good news is that controlling blood sugar levels through diet, exercise, and medications as needed not only helps prevent diabetic peripheral neuropathy, but also relieves its symptoms.
Foot protection
Feet are the root or foundation of one’s independence. Give your feet some tenderness and a touch of care every day. Make sure you have a doctor look at your feet carefully at each diabetes checkup in case you miss a self-exam.