Having a substantial amount of glucose in your blood for a prolonged period can give birth to various health issues. For example, if you’ve kept your diabetes issue untreated, it may lead to the development of peripheral vascular disease and diabetic neuropathy.
Each of these affects your feet and causes serious complications altogether. However, for the best-case scenario, you can reach out to a Podologo Santo Domingo center to treat your condition as soon as possible.
However, before you get into all that, let’s address your concerns regarding diabetic foot, the symptoms, and treatments a little elaborately.
What Is Diabetic Foot?
The diabetic foot, in essence, is a health condition caused by diabetic neuropathy. It usually happens due to continuous nerve damage inflicted by having a higher level of glucose in your blood. This issue can occur throughout your body. Nonetheless, in most cases, it will affect your feet and legs altogether.
In some cases, untreated diabetes also affects the subtlety of blood flow in your feet and legs. It, in turn, can lead to a condition known as PAD (peripheral artery disease). This issue can narrow your arteries and cause blockage. Due to such a decreased flow of blood, it becomes almost impossible for your legs to heal entirely.
Symptoms Of Diabetes-Caused Foot Problem
The symptoms of diabetic feet can vary from one person to another, depending on the stretch of their condition. Nonetheless, the common signs of the disease can include –
- Wounds, such as blisters, without any pain
- The loss of feeling in your legs and feet
- Painful tingling sensation in the legs
- Discoloration of skin and a sudden change of temperature
- Lacerations, without or with drainage
If an internal or external infection develops, you may also experience –
- Chills
- Fever
- Shaking
- Uncontrollable blood sugar
- Redness
- Going into shock (extremely rare)
If you are suffering from diabetes and have an infection in your feet, you should seek a physician as immediately as possible.
Treatment
A diabetic foot problem cannot be cured if you aren’t managing your diabetes symptoms. Hence, your primary focus should be taking care of the core condition. Here’s how you can do it.
How To Manage Diabetes?
Intaking medication is definitely crucial for treating diabetes. However, if you want to improve your condition as quickly as possible, you will also have to –
- Exercise regularly (at least for 30 minutes).
- Follow a proper diet plan.
- Avoid consuming sugar and salt.
- Do not drink sweetened beverages.
- Drink at least three liters of water.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Try controlling your stress and anxiety.
- Lose weight if you are too overweight.
In essence, managing your diabetes should be the ideal case scenario when it comes to taking care of your diabetic foot. However, if you want to focus on this problem solely, you’ll have to do something else as well.
Move on to the next section to learn more about it.
How To Manage Diabetic Feet?
Managing the symptoms related to diabetic feet can be pretty tricky. However, if you follow these foot care tips closely, you will be able to avoid serious complications efficiently –
- Keep your feet in lukewarm water regularly for at least 30 minutes. It will help you relieve the nerve damage and decrease the pain to some extent. Also, make sure not to soak your feet. Instead, dry it properly, especially between your toes.
- Check your feet for sores, blisters, and calluses closely. If you find anything, make sure to clean it and wrap the same with a medical-grade bandage. If your doctor has provided a lotion, don’t forget to apply it regularly as well. Besides, try not to remove your calluses or corns by yourself.
- Opt for feet-friendly activities, such as riding a bike, walking, or swimming to improve your condition. Learn more about the exercises that are best for you by visiting a specialist at Podologo Santo Domingo. Just make sure to avoid running or any other jump-related activities, as they might strain your legs.
- Try to keep the blood flowing by putting up your feet while sitting or wiggling your feet once every few minutes.
The Bottom Line
Managing your diabetes is, in truth, the best way to take care of your problem of diabetic feet. However, if you still need any other suggestions regarding the same, we would ask you to visit a Podologo Santo Domingo center.
Talking to a specialist can help you understand your condition more closely and find the best solution altogether!
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