Preventing Diabetic Wounds on Your Feet
You don’t want to ignore the small things in life. That little thread hanging from your shirt button? Stitch it in place now or it will unravel and you’ll lose the button. A little crack in your washer hose? Replace it or you could be vacuuming up water from the floor all morning. The same principle is true if you want to prevent diabetic wounds. Reducing your risk of a problem before it starts is always the best way.
An open wound on your foot can quickly turn into a serious, limb-threatening issue if it is not dealt with promptly, and is best prevented altogether by following these common sense habits:
Don’t smoke, or if you already are, do everything you can to quit.
Don’t drink, or limit yourself to an occasional glass of wine.
Eat right and take any medication needed to control high cholesterol and glucose levels.
Wear protection on your feet at all times, even in your own home.
Treat dry skin and calluses on your feet quickly so they don’t degenerate into heel fissures.
Check your feet every day for sores, blisters, or cuts that you might not feel if you have neuropathy (nerve damage) in your extremities.
These practices will go a long way toward keeping your feet healthy, but it is also important to wear the right type of shoes. Pointy heels and flimsy flip flops are not a good choice when caring for diabetic feet. Instead, we can recommend many well-constructed, attractive shoe styles that will fit properly, cushion your feet adequately, and protect them from forming ulcers. More than that, we offer the brands we recommend right on our website or through our office, so you don’t need to hunt around for them on your own.
We want to help you prevent ulcers from forming on your feet, so consult the podiatrists at Gulf South Foot & Ankle, LLC for a full plan to manage your disease with diet, exercise and daily foot checks. You can contact our Metairie, LA office by phone at (504) 708-4810, or request an appointment through our website.