The cold weather makes controlling blood sugar particularly difficult. Therefore, people with diabetes need to take special care of themselves during the winter season. Reduced circulation due to the cold weather might increase your chance of getting a foot ulcer if you have diabetes.
There are a few measures that you need to take to keep your feet protected in the winter season, being person with diabetes. Make sure your winter footwear offers adequate padding, weather protection, and warmth. The best option is diabetes-friendly footwear. Read this blog to know all about winter foot care for people with diabetes.
How Can Diabetes Affect Your Feet?
People with diabetes are more likely to have foot problems. They may occur gradually when the nerves and blood vessels in the foot are harmed by excessive blood sugar levels.
What Early Signs Of Diabetes Can Be Noticed On Your Feet?
Your feet may become uncomfortable, tingly, and numb as a result of diabetic neuropathy, a form of nerve damage. Your feet may also feel a burn, loss of touch sensitivity or a poor capacity to feel heat or cold, a gradual alteration in the shape of your feet, loss of hair on your toes, foot, and lower legs.
What Is A Diabetic Foot Exam?
A diabetic foot examination helps identify issues like infection, damage, and anomalies in the bones of people with diabetes. Inadequate blood supply and nerve damage, or neuropathy, are the two most common causes of diabetic foot problems.
Your feet may feel tingly or numb if you have Diabetic Neuropathy. Additionally, it might lessen the sensitivity of your feet. As a result, you might not even be aware that you have a foot injury such as a callus, blister, or even an ulcer, a deep sore. Routine diabetic foot examinations and at-home treatment can help prevent major foot health issues.
Winter Foot Care Tips For People With Diabetes
The following crucial advice will help you maintain good foot health all winter long and prevent issues-
1. Wear Diabetes-friendly Socks – They’re ideal socks for people with diabetes as they help their feet stay dry and warm. People with diabetes need to wear breathable socks. The ideal option is wool or moisture-wicking socks, which reduce foot perspiration and potential chill.
2. Get The Right Footwear – Wear boots and shoes that provide warmth, dryness, and protection from the rain, snow, sleet, and ice. Shoes should be supportive and cushioned enough while still being roomy enough to allow for proper blood flow in the feet.
3. Examine Your Feet Each Day If you have diabetes, you should establish and follow a daily foot inspection programme. Examine each pressure point on your feet, including the space in between each toe. Examine the skin for any breaks, discharge, color changes, odor changes, and painful corns or calluses. Your doctor should be informed of any changes you observe.
4. Keep Your Feet Dry Potentially harmful germs can grow when moisture accumulates for an extended period of time between your socks and feet, as well as between your toes. You must carefully and completely dry your feet once they become wet due to the cold weather.
5. Use Hydrating Foot Creams To prevent cracks, corns, and calluses that could cause infections, people with diaetes should use foot creams that are very hydrating during the winter.
6. Regular Nail Trimming. Cut the nail straight across, then use a nail file to softly round the edges.
7. Stop Smoking. Smoking decreases blood flow to the foot and might impede the healing process.
8. Get Routine Diabetic Foot Examinations If you or your provider notices a concern, you should have your feet evaluated more frequently than once a year.
9. Maintain A Healthy Blood Sugar Level. One of the most crucial components of diabetic foot care is maintaining your diabetes under control. Consult your doctor for effective blood sugar management strategies.
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Diabetes management is not a cumbersome task if you follow all the recommendations given by your health coach on an everyday basis. Eat a healthy and nutritious diet, workout on a regular basis and do not forget to do regular sugar tests.
