Dr. Robert Russell & Dr. James Bowman of Podiatry Associates in Birmingham and Sylacauga, AL, work with people who have diabetes to help them hone in on symptoms that might display in their feet, indicating further medical issues.
What is Diabetic Foot Care?
Diabetic foot care is an umbrella term that holds things people with diabetes should do to regularly take care of their feet. In general, people with diabetes should make sure their feet stay clean, wear fit, supportive footwear, know how to wrap any wounds they may find, and understand simple things they can do to avoid injuries to their feet. They will also need to check the circulation in their toes. A person with diabetes needs to do these things because the nerve endings in the bottom of the feet may die due to the disease, and therefore, the person won't feel pain until the wound has allowed infection into the rest of the body.
Signs and Symptoms to Look for in the Feet
A person with diabetes should pay attention to several different signs and symptoms they might find on their feet.
- Cracks or blisters anywhere on the feet
- Scratches or open wounds
- Wounds that ooze puss, turn a different color or do not follow typical healing patterns
- Swelling anywhere in the foot
- New spots of redness
- Problems with the nails or areas surrounding the nails
How to Perform Diabetic Foot Care at Home
When a person has diabetes, they should get into a new habit of checking their feet for issues and practicing various protocols to help keep their feet safe. It's a known fact that diabetes restricts blood flow to the feet and can make it harder for the feet to fight off or heal from infection due to injury.
- Wear comfortable, clean socks and change them daily. Don't wear the kind with restrictive upper bands like thick wool socks made for boots unless you remove the elastic upper band.
- Wash your feet with lukewarm water daily. Use the time to inspect your feet thoroughly. Pat your feet dry gently and apply lotion to the feet everywhere but between the toes.
- Inspect your feet daily for cuts, scratches (even small insignificant ones), new blisters, sores, redness, swelling, and problems with the nails. Use a magnifying glass to see the places you may not see well.
- Check the circulation of each toe by pinching the tops of them. Color should return quickly, within one to two seconds.
- Never walk barefoot, even in the house. If you break a glass or dish, carefully get out of the way of the shards, and begin to use a broom to get the most prominent pieces closest to you. Use a vacuum to get the rest, clearing a path for yourself to walk. Don't walk into the middle of the area just because you swept first.
- Shake your shoes out before putting them on to remove pebbles or debris that can cause scratches or blisters.
- Stop smoking. If you are struggling, try again, even if this is your 100th attempt to quit. Every health care provider, no matter what their specialty, stands behind you in this goal.
- Never treat corns on your own. Ever. Just make an appointment so we can do this properly for you.
- Have your feet regularly inspected by a podiatrist. These visits are like how you visit the dentist regularly. The podiatrist may spot things you did not or can see other things we may regularly and naturally dismiss.
When to See Your Trusted Birmingham or Sylacauga Podiatrist
When a person has diabetes, it is crucial that they visit their trusted Birmingham or Sylacauga podiatrist. While performing foot care, there are specific indicators of when you should see the podiatrist.
- If you notice a new redness or swelling that has not gone down in 24-48 hours or only gets worse in the same time frame
- If you notice anything that looks like an infection around a cut or scratch that isn't starting to improve in 24 hours
- If you develop any new blisters that are not healing properly
- If you have more pain than usual in your feet, even if you think it's just the weather or seasonal changes that might be affecting it
You never need to be afraid to come in. Our podiatrists are caring and knowledgeable.
For all your diabetic footcare needs, contact Dr. Robert Russell and Dr. James Bowman of Podiatry Associates either in our Birmingham, AL, office at (205) 933-9595 or our Sylacauga, AL, office at (256) 249-2212 for an appointment today.