Video Tuesday: Diabetes and Foot Care

I know, it seems odd to be told you have diabetes and then get a lecture from your doctor or nurse on the topic of foot care. As odd as it seems though, there’s a very good reason for it. You see, diabetes is a disease that is managed, not cured. And with time, if your blood glucose (sugar) has dipped and risen significantly over the years, you can develop problems, such as poor circulation – particularly to your feet.

If you develop a cut or blister on your foot, your body usually responds by helping it heal – the blood delivers the protein and nutrients the tissues need to rebuild. But if you have diabetes and your circulation is not good in your feet, the blood supply won’t be providing the injured tissue all it needs to begin to heal properly. This is why you may hear horror stories of people with diabetes having severe foot problems, sometimes resulting in drastic surgery.

Another problem that people with diabetes often have is they don’t feel their foot injuries. It’s not unusual for someone with diabetes to develop a problem called diabetic neuropathy, which results in  you feeling pins and needles – nerve pain, but also may prevent you from feeling what you should, particularly in your feet and lower legs. This means, if you develop a cut or blister on your foot, you may not notice it until it has developed into something serious.

Medline Plus has a good slide presentation for people to learn more about diabetic foot care. To watch the presentation, just click on the TV screen below:

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Image: iStock.com