When you are diabetic, it is necessary to look after your feet. Diabetes make you more prone to having sores and infections of the feet as the medical condition can affect the sensitivity of nerves. As part of health checks the doctor will usually inspect your feet to ensure there are no problems and give advice about diabetic foot care.

Problems that are noticed with the feet should not be self treated, you should try to get professional advice as to the best treatment. Clean and dry feet are a major part of avoiding infections and sores along with well trimmed toe nails. Regular, preferably daily inspection, of both the feet and in between toes is vital to prevent problems going unnoticed. Athletes foot and areas of dry skin should be treated with anti fungal and moisturisers.

The patient should never walk about without some type of footwear to protect their feet. Wearing some type of footwear will prevent the person from treading on small objects such as small toys or stones and suffering cuts and bruises to their feet. When wearing shoes, socks should be worn to prevent the shoes from rubbing. The socks should not be tight fitting and should be free from seams and elastic.

When it comes to buying shoes, you should look for ones that are very comfortable and do not have any areas that will rub and cause bunions, corns or other problems. The front of the shoes should have plenty of space for the toes. To prevent pressure areas, high heels should be avoided. It is a good idea to avoid slip on shoes, buy shoes that have laces or fastenings that do not allow the feet to slide about inside them.

While trying on shoes, the person should wear their usual type of socks. It is a good idea to put a hand inside the shoe to feel if there are any rough areas that may rub against the feet and cause problems. If the patient has unusual shaped feet, they may need to get specially made shoes.

Having high levels of sugar in the blood stream can cause damage to the nerves, it is therefore important to take care when bathing to avoid burns to the feet. Before going into the bath, it will be necessary to check the temperature of the water with a hand first. The damaged nerves in the feet will mean that the pain of heat will not be felt, for this reason it is a good idea to avoid using electric blankets, hot water bottles, and foot spas.

Socks especially made for people who have the medical condition are available from all good chemists. The socks help increase the circulation within the feet, they also help to prevent sores, nerve damage and swelling. The socks are made from material which stop the material from feeling too tight, they also have no tight elastic and are seam free.

There are many foot creams and lotions available on the market that can be used as part of the daily routine. These products can be used for the treatment of rough, dry skin and help with the renewal process. Some creams are antibacterial that prevent infections and increase blood flow.

Want to learn more? Read more about Diabetic Foot Care and check out our range of Diabetic Socks.

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