How to care for your feet as a diabetic!
Living with diabetes can be difficult and as much as you watch your sugar intake, you also must take care of your feet as you continue to live with the disease. Diabetes is known for hurting the blood supply to your feet and can cause pain and slow healing. There are numerous things you can do to protect your feet while factoring in your diabetes and your lifestyle.
Foot care for diabetics:
The very first thing you should do is find a local podiatrist. By seeking a professional opinion about how to best car for your foot from a foot doctor you will begin to gather as much information as possible about how to structure the rest of your life. Then you should work to keep your feet clean and free of infection. If you have any blistering or damage be sure to treat any and all wounds with the utmost care. Band-Aids, rubbing alcohol, and protective socks will become major parts of your foot care. If you are someone who wears there shoes a little too tight, you are going to have to go up a pair, as the constant rubbing can be very damaging to your newly sensitive feet. Be sure to swap out any pair of shoes that might be even slightly ill-fitting. Never walk barefoot anywhere. The bottoms of your feet are highly susceptible to infection and cuts. Finally, be sure to consistently cut and file your toenails as to not let infections or fungi begin to live under your nails.
Butt out! It’s time to ditch the cigarettes
As a diabetic you know not to smoke, and well, ever since you were a child they have been giving you a laundry list of medical reasons not to smoke. Smoking is another habit that will hamper your blood circulation on top of your diabetes. Do not make it harder for your blood to reach your feet. Find a patch or quit cold turkey so that you can give your feet (and lungs) a much needed break.
You diet helps here too!
Keeping your blood sugar in line and making sure you are consuming a nutritious diet are keys in protecting your feet from some of the worst side effects of having diabetes. You need to constantly monitor yourself so that you are aware as to just why your feet are bothering you so badly.
When to see your podiatrist or medical professional
Since your healing process will be much slower as a symptom of your illness, any time you receive a blister that is lingering you should see a medical professional immediately. This goes the same for any injury as well. If your feet change color or you have difficulty in feeling them, you should seek out medical assistance. If a wound were to break the skin and any discharge should be seen leaving the wound, that is another instance in which you should seek help.
Clinic locations:
Appointments are available at all clinical sites *On-site diagnostic ultrasound is available at Earlsfield and Maidenhead clinical locations.
How to book:
Click the following link to schedule your consultation online 24/7: BOOK ONLINE. Alternatively, speak to our friendly booking team between 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday: 020 7164 6607
Insurance and Fee’s:
We accept most major private medical insurance companies including BUPA, Vitality, WPA, Cigna, AVIVA and Simply Health. A full list of our consultation fee’s including self-pay can be found here: Insurance and Fee’s. Our Podiatry team are health care professional council registered, meaning they are required to maintain professional standards and continued professional development. As an organisation we have invested in the latest diagnostic technology in order to help our podiatry team, help you. We have onsite diagnostic ultrasound available at Maidenhead and Earlsfield clinics. Infra-red pressure analysis available at Maidenhead and Earlsfield clinics with treadmill examinations.
