Patient was instructed upon diabetic foot care today.
- Controlling blood sugar levels can reduce the blood vessel and nerve damage that often lead to diabetic foot complications.
- If a foot wound or ulcer does occur, blood sugar control reduces the risk of the wound progressing to sepsis, gangrene, and finally, needing an amputation.
- Foot care is important, although patients should also continue to follow other general guidelines for managing diabetes.
Some of the strategies to reduce the chances of developing foot problems are as follows-
- Quitting smoking
- Smoking can worsen heart and vascular problems and reduce circulation to the feet.
- Avoid activities that can injure the feet
- Walking bare foot can increase risk of foot injury and so, it is important to avoid being bare footed.
- Also, as poorly managed diabetics have reduced sensitivity in the distal extremities, do not use a heating pad on the feet.
- Always, check the temperature of water before stepping into the bathtub.
- Patients can suffer heat burns secondary to poor perception of heat.
