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Your Feet & Diabetes

Having a diabetic nerve condition can become a nightmare for your feet, so it is very important to take adequate care to avoid complications that could lead to something as dreadful as an amputation. Because of the feeling of numbness, or the inability to feel pain, diabetic patients can be completely unaware that an injury or blister has occurred. Left untreated, these small injuries or scratches can become infected leading to an ulcerating wound that won’t heal. A particularly bad infection can even lead to the amputation of an entire foot or lower leg.

Taking care of your feet is essential to avoiding dreadful complications.

Some of things you can do as part of your foot care regimen include the following:

  • Daily Foot Check—This is really the most important thing you can do every day. If you have trouble checking your own feet, use a mirror to inspect the bottom and between the toes or have someone help you. Look for blisters, cuts, ulcers, swelling and redness.
  • Keep Your Feet Clean and Dry—Wash your feet well every day and dry them carefully, especially between the toes to help avoid fungal and bacterial growth.
  • Be Very Careful—when cutting your toenails or treating corns and calluses to avoid any cuts or scratches. It may be best to have your podiatrist carefully perform these tasks to avoid any accidents.
  • Don’t Smoke—Smoking causes your blood vessels to constrict, contributing to foot numbness.
  • Wear Proper Shoes—Ask your foot doctor about specially designed diabetic footwear and orthotic inserts that can take a lot of the stress off your feet.

At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.

 

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