Featured Image Caption: Diabetic Foot Care and Cure
Jump to read...
Diabetic foot care is healthcare that focuses on treating people who suffer from diabetes-induced foot issues.
Chiropodists specialize in treating ankle and foot-related disorders. They can treat sprains, fractures, ingrown toenails, infections, bunions, etc. They may provide their patients with orthotics or custom orthotics to help them return to a normal quality of life, including if they are dealing with a diabetic foot.
They will prescribe specialized treatments and medications to treat tumours, deformities, and ulcers that may cause pain and inflammation and affect a person’s mobility. Diabetes causes blood flow to be restricted due to excess blood sugar.
Diabetes causes nerve damage to the foot that numbs the patient to pain. An infection may spread with the patient unaware of it because they feel no pain.
Signs of Diabetic Feet
A person with severe diabetes may notice that the colour of their skin has changed unusually and notably. Many patients with diabetes also report temperature variations.
For example, their feet may become cold to the touch even when the room is at room temperature, or they may deal with excessive heat and sweating even when the room is relatively cool.
The foot and ankle may also experience uncomfortable swelling that can make it hard, or even impossible, for the person to stand upright and walk. The pain can be excruciating in some cases, making it impossible for the patient to perform even the most mundane tasks.
Cracks in the skin can also develop, be quite unsightly, and increase the risk of infections and fungi development. Ingrown toenails are yet another side effect of diabetes. Severe ingrown toenails can only be removed via surgical intervention.
Benefits of Chiropody Treatment
Chiropody can treat dozens of different foot-related conditions, including, but not limited to, heel and arch pain, bunions, athlete’s foot, warts, flat feet, ingrown toenails, nail fungus, calluses, corns, hammertoes, and a myriad of diabetic foot ailments.
It is often used to help improve blood circulation in the legs and feet, which is essential in caring for patients with diabetes. Toenails will also be trimmed properly to reduce the risk of ingrown toenails and dirt accumulation.
Regular checkups can help screen for tumours, cancer, fungi, and other potentially serious infections and diseases to be swiftly dealt with before they spread.
Mobility will also be increased drastically, allowing the patient to walk, jog, run, and exercise to improve their overall mental and physical health.
Areas of high pressure and numbness will be identified, as patients with diabetes tend to suffer from numb feet and a slower healing process. They will also sterilize and clean your feet and toes if you cannot do so yourself due to a disability or peripheral neuropathy.
How Chiropody Helps Treat Diabetic Feet
They will go over your medical history to gauge the severity of your diabetes and your overall health. A vascular exam will determine if you have poor circulation in your toes and feet.
An ultrasound machine is used to listen to foot pulses. Skin colour, temperature, swelling, and hair growth will also be evaluated. The chiropodist will also check for spider and varicose veins.
A neurological exam will also be performed to determine if you suffer from neuropathy, a common side effect of diabetes. The goal is to determine if you can feel vibration and pressure in and around your feet.
A dermatological exam will also be conducted. Here, the chiropodist will check for ingrown nails, corns, calluses, macerations, lacerations, skin breakdown, moles, ulcers, tumours, fungi, warts, lumps, wet skin, red marks, dry skin, and discoloration.
Your chiropodist will also educate you on how your diabetes will impact your leg and foot health. They will provide you with home care tips that will help you take care of your feet at home and work to prevent the serious complications of diabetes.
In addition to routine foot care, they will also suggest what insoles, socks, and shoes to wear to help you better manage your diabetes. Chiropody treatment may consist of removing calluses and corns, clipping toenails, or treating cuts, scrapes, and ulcers.
Diabetic Foot Care Tips
You should wash your feet with warm water whenever the opportunity presents itself. If you need to dry your feet, you should only use a clean cloth. You must maintain optimal hygiene to reduce the risk of developing diabetes-related foot issues.
Cut your toenails every week to prevent them from growing too long and causing complications. Applying some moisturizer on the heels of your feet will also prevent cracks and reduce the amount of wear and tear that your feet experience from performing daily activities. Wearing socks while in bed can also help with certain blood flow impediments.
Taking the First Step
Diabetic foot is a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly. Negligence may lead to the amputation of your feet. Chiropody treatment will help identify any problems while still minor and manageable.
It involves routine maintenance to ensure that your feet are clean and free of infections and other foot-related pathogens.
You will also be taught how to properly take care of your feet while at home to reduce the risk of long-term diabetes-related complications. Tumours, moles, and other serious problems will be quickly identified and treated by your chiropodist.
It is important to work with a qualified and licensed chiropodist who has a proven track record of success. Ask friends or family if they can recommend a chiropodist or check online reviews to help find a foot specialist that will place your welfare over their bottom line.
By Erin Gregory
who is a blogger in Toronto. She is currently working as a Community Manager for several small businesses. She has graduated with honors from the University of British Columbia with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing.
Member since July, 2022
View all the articles of Erin Gregory.
Leave a Reply