Diabetes and feet
Exploding the myths
Most people don’t think about their health until they have a problem. Most people think that diabetes is a condition that restricts how much sweet stuff you can eat and that it is only serious if you have injections. In my career one of the most common things I have heard is “I have a touch of diabetes” or “I am a mild diabetic”. Wrong – you either have diabetes or you don’t.
There are two main types of diabetes:
Type 1 – where the pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin
Type 2 – where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin (insulin resistance)
How it is controlled is where most people think they have a mild form i.e. diet control. However diabetes is a condition which changes and the control of which may require assistance either through oral medication or insulin, this is now common place even in type 2 diabetes.
Why do I need to maintain good control of my diabetes?
Over my career I have witnessed a significant ignorance of what diabetes is and how it can affect the human body. It is almost an ostrich like reaction to the diagnosis, where the person ignores the advice or manages some small improvements before relapsing into unhealthy habits, i.e. the occasional treat becomes a daily occurrence, which then means that the control of the condition is poor.
Control is so important because it minimises the risks of associated complications of the condition, which can be severe and incredibly life affecting. These include:
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Damage to the blood vessels, which in the heart increase the risk of heart attack and stroke by 5 times the normal risk
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Loss of sight – damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye normally due to persistently high blood glucose levels
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Loss of sensation – this can occur in both hands and feet, leading to unnoticed skin damage, risk of infection and formation of foot ulcers. It can also mean painful burning and tingling in the feet also which interferes with sleep.
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Pain in the calves when walking (intermittent claudication) which significantly reduces the distance you can walk
What can you do to help yourself – even if you don’t have diabetes
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Lose weight if you are overweight – it helps reduce the risk of diabetes and also helps overall with the comfort of the joints in your legs and feet (most people have some they need to lose
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Stop smoking as this is a major risk factor for the development of poor circulation especially in the feet
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Control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels – again because of the links they have to blood vessel damage
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Increase your exercise as much as possible – this may even be as small as getting of the bus one stop before your normal stop – the additional walk does help
Taking care of your feet
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Check your feet every day for any signs of redness or skin colour changes that you may not have felt
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Ensure your nails are cut correctly – straight across and gently rounded at the corns with a file or emery board
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Wash and dry your feet daily, ensuring that the skin between your toes is dry and not left wet
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If you have dry skin especially on your heels use an unscented moisturiser such as E45 on the feet after washing and drying (this helps lock in moisture). Do not put the cream between the toes.
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Never use a razor, knife or corn plasters on corns or hard skin that cannot be removed with gentle filing – ring me for appropriate treatment or contact your local NHS podiatry provider
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Shoes are a vital protection to our feet – so make sure your shoes are supportive, and that they are deep and wide enough
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Avoid tight socks or hosiery that may restrict your circulation
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Before putting on your shoes check that no objects are inside or that bulges in the lining of the shoe might damage your skin
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Keep your feet warm and dry, avoiding extremes of temperature such as radiators, hot water bottles or fires. Wear thermal socks / hosiery even in your home if you know your circulation is impaired.
Following this advice will hopefully reduce potential damage to your feet and help prevent further complications.
They are your feet look after them!!!!
