Diabetic foot problems are an alarming condition of people with diabetes. I'll cover the early stages of and and give you advice on treatment and care.

In this Diabetic & Me article you will learn about:

  • What is diabetic foot?
  • What can I do to cure foot problems?
  • How to improve blood flow to my feet?
  • How to look after your feet?

Introduction

Diabetics suffer from foot problems and complications most often. It's essential to take care of the eyes, kidneys, but equally important, the feet, when you have diabetes. Swollen feet and numb toes can be cured primarily by soaking the feet in a spa bath with lukewarm water and using the best diabetic foot cream.

It's beneficial to know how to take care of serious complications and complications of diabetic foot. Diabetic foot or neuropathy is severe condition, and you don't need to worry if you have some remedies or other medical treatments to protect your feet.

I want to explain how to take care of your feet with some vital information to live a healthy lifestyle.

What does foot pain from diabetes feel like?

It can be very painful if not treated correctly. Dry skin can become too dry and evolve into diabetic foot ulcers. If a foot ulcer is not treated it can become infected and lead to other foot complications. If you have infected foot ulcers, dry your feet carefully and consult a doctor. Let your doctor provide medical advice diagnosis.

If you have pain in your feet or you have swollen feet try to lift one or both feet up when sitting. This will lower the swelling in the foot.

If you have a burning sensation or loss of feeling make sure you keep moving your legs and feet every day. Diabetes care is important and ask your doctor for more exercises. If can always take a look at the 20 minute home workout for diabetics. Exercising and keeping your body in motion is important to prevent any peripheral vascular disease and nerve damage.

20 Minute Home Workout For Diabetics

How do you look after your feet if you have diabetes?

he most important thing is to make sure your blood sugar is under control and regulated. If your blood sugar is on a high level most of the times you have more chance to develop diabetic foot ulcers and other possible foot problems. High blood sugars can cause a peripheral vascular disease which can lead to poor blood flow and nerve damage. Your feet may become infected when wounded easily.

Diabetics gradually loose proper blood circulation towards the peripheries, and sensation in the foot can become less. Feet get swollen, and even a minor injury takes a lot of time to heal and can easily get infected. You may need to adopt a healthy foot care routine to avoid any unusual foot problems.

By following these simple steps, you can stop or get rid of many foot problems like poor blood flow, diabetic foot ulcers, peripheral vascular disease diabetes and more.

1. Check the feet daily for signs of serious complications

It's one of the primary things that you can do for yourself. You should check your feet for any injury, blisters, redness, foot ulcers, a sores on the feet or swelling. You can use a magnifying glass to look at the bottom of your feet and if you see anything unexpected, then consult your physician immediately. If you don't have the possibility to speak to a doctor you can always use a foot cream for diabetics to heal foot complications and diabetic foot ulcers.

2. Soak the feet in lukewarm water

It's essential to soak your feet in lukewarm water to remove dead skin and corns and calluses. It also heals diabetic foot ulcers. After soaking and bathing the feet, it's necessary to dry each foot and let them air for some time. It will help to improve the blood flow, and swelling can be relieved quickly. Using a pumice stone helps to remove dead skin. Using a foot spa bath soften your toenails. It makes it easier to cut and remove ingrown toenails.

3. Cut the toenails and moisturize the feet

It would help if you clipped your nails once a week. Be careful with any cuts or injuries to the toes. Besides this, moisturizing your feet with a diabetic foot cream is essential. Choose a lotion or cream according to your skin type. Avoid applying cream between your toes because it may lead to a fungal infection. While cutting your toenails make sure you look for ingrown toenails and remove them.

4. Monitor and regulate your blood sugar levels

People with an initial and advanced stage of diabetes should observe blood glucose levels daily. By avoiding sugary and cholesterol-rich food items, you can manage diabetes very well. An average blood glucose level is essential to fight this disease. It will help you in eliminating other complications.

High blood sugar levels can lead to foot ulcers, changes in skin color, an infected foot, and lead to infection. In worse cases your blood has poor circulation and you need surgery to remove your foot because of neuropathy.

5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Diabetes is not the end of the world. It can be controlled by adopting a healthy lifestyle. You should eat healthy and nutritious food. Never compromise on your taste buds and find the dietary options that fit your need. Low-carb and vegan are the best options to a healthy lifestyle. Energetic and nutritious food would maintain your blood glucose levels, and you have less risk in developing any foot complications.

Exercise goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle. I recommend to stay active during the day and exercise on a regular basis. It's important to keep adding pressure to the prominent metatarsal heads, also known as the ball of the foot. This is also avoids in getting diabetic foot ulcers.

6. Avoid smoking

People with diabetics should avoid smoking. It may cause blood cloths, changes in skin color, foot ulcers, blockages in the blood vessels which leads to poor blood flow and leading to possible hearth attacks. 

Do diabetic socks help to relieve swollen feet?

Diabetic socks are made from soft and cotton material. The socks provide an extra cushioned layer to the feet to provide extra support the ball of the foot. The high-quality fabric is used to give extra support when wearing poorly fitting shoes and help curing swelling and improve blood circulation.

They are perfect for all weather conditions, are breathable and affect your feet in a positive way. Wearing diabetic socks also relieve you from pain caused by foot ulcers. To get the best results you should combine wearing diabetic socks on dry and clean feet after using a diabetic foot cream.

If you are sweating excessively on your feet, you should use antiperspirant to avoid sweating. Excessive sweating may lead to a fungal infection, and it's necessary to check your feet daily for any unusualities.

What type of shoes you should use?

If you have diabetes, you should avoid walking barefoot. Diabetic shoes are made with comfortable leather and mesh fabric associated with double cushioned layers. The soft and smooth texture will protect your feet against any foreign injury.

The rubber sole will provide the best support to the feet, and the insole is made with gel infusion to accommodate the feet. It's recommend that people with diabetes should wear specialized shoes. A regular massage with diabetic foot cream also helps curing numbness of the toes and foot.

If need more detailed information about the best shoes for diabetics you can check out the product review of the best shoes for diabetics, the best work boots for diabetics and the best diabetic slippers for men & women.

Conclusion

For people with diabetes, feet and eyes are the most critical parts. You can get healthy feet by taking care of some simple things that could be part of your daily routine. Try to be natural and selective, and get the things that could help you eliminate your foot problems. The early signs of diabetic neuropathy can be reduced by massaging your clean feet with diabetic foot cream regularly for 5 minutes every day.

Diabetic socks and shoes would help to improve the sensation and blood circulation. Thus, you can be protected from severe feet conditions.

About the Author

Ely Fornoville

Hi, I'm Ely Fornoville, and I am the founder of Diabetic & Me. Being a type 1 diabetic since 1996, I developed a passion to help people learn more about diabetes. I write about diabetes and share stories from other diabetics around the world. I currently use a Medtronic Guardian 4 CGM and a MiniMed 780G insulin pump with Humalog insulin.

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