Routine Diabetic Foot Care By A Podiatrist Prevents Ulcer Formation That Can Lead To Amputation Of Your Foot
Posted on: 25 April 2016
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Who would think that a simple scratch or a cut on your foot can cause you to lose a toe or have your foot amputated in the long run? Well, if you are a diabetic, this can happen to you. When you have diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve injury, an untended wound can become infected. You're not aware of the infection because neuropathy destroys nerve sensation in your feet. Uncontrolled blood sugar and poor blood flow resulting from a lack of oxygen also fuels the infection. Make sure you include a podiatrist on your doctor's list. Foot care monitoring is vital to maintaining healthy feet and avoiding amputation.
Calluses, Corns and Ulcers
Diabetics may develop corns, foot calluses and ulcers. These conditions do build up faster. Your podiatrist has the necessary tools to shave down calluses, which prevents them from becoming ulcerated. Ask your podiatrist about special shoes or insoles that you can wear to prevent calluses and associated ulcers from forming. There is a new trending tool that you can use to help you monitor your own feet at home.
New Tool Trend For At-Home Foot Care Monitoring
There is a new product that detects temperature changes on the bottom of your feet. Industry experts say it closely resembles a home scale and has a magnified mirror, which you can use to examine the bottom of your feet. Package instructions inform you about what you should do when you acquire this product. You must sit on a chair and place your bare feet where the scale directs you to put your feet. Wait for 60 seconds while examining the top of your feet for any recorded changes. After the 60 seconds, you should remove your feet and examine your footprints. You should be able to see any differences in the footprints. Differences are indicated on the screen to show high pressure and inflammation points. The product predicts where a wound may develop on your foot or feet in the future.
If you do notice differences in your footprints, the product instructions advise that you stay off your feet for an hour and then run the check of your feet again. If the differences in your footprints are still visible, you should call your podiatrist's office and make an appointment to be seen. The new product is approved by the Federal Drug Administration for you to identify inflammation, and it reportedly costs approximately $100.
Check Your Feet Daily
Monitoring of your feet on a daily basis is an important aspect of foot care. Look for cracks or scratches. Moisturize your feet if they are dry, but do not allow cream to settle in between your toes. Other technological tools are being introduced to help you take good care of your feet, and you can ask your podiatrist about other new tools on the market that you can also use at home.
Contact professionals like Laurel Podiatry Associates, LLC to learn more.