Common foot problems such as corn on the foot while being mere pinpricks on most people’s skin may be early signs of diabetes. Diabetic patients are very vulnerable to foot complications for many reasons Including but not limited to poor circulation and nerve impairment which decreases the feeling in the feet. This is because one might not feel the foot injury such as corns which are thickened areas of skin brought by pressure or friction. If not attended to, these corns may lead to infection, then complications such as ulcers and in the worse-prevalent cases, amputation.
Prevention tips for diabetics:
Diabetes sufferers in particular should pay attention to their feet. It has been recommended that daily checks of the feet for signs, for example, the formation of corns should be conducted. Besides avoiding tight shoes, cushioned shoes should also be worn, to minimize stress on certain areas of the foot, to avoid developing corns. Also, keeping normal blood glucose levels helps avoid nerve injury, and hence, improves the general health of the foot.
When we spoke to Dr Anurag Lila, Endocrinology and Diabetology, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, he said that special attention should be paid to feet in diabetic patients. This includes washing the feet regularly, applying lotion to soften the skin, cutting nails properly and avoiding walking with bare feet to avoid accidents. In case corn does form, shaving, cutting or using commercial products to remove corn should not be done as this worsens the situation. But consult your doctor for safe and feasible remedies or you can get advice from a herbalist.
Diabetic people should check their feet every day, also, they should visit an endocrinologist regularly, so that, further complications can be avoided and the feet of diabetic people would be healthy and painless. Just a word of reminder here, the best way to deal with such complications is early detection and appropriate management of diabetic foot complications.
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