According to the Centers for Disease Control there are over 29 million diabetics in the USA. Diabetes is a terrible disease that attacks virtually every organ in your body.Diabetics are at greater risk of developing heart attacks, stroke, blindness. But there is one debilitating side effect that as a clinician drives me a little batty. What is it and why does it drive me batty? It's severe diabetic foot infections which could lead to significant morbidity up to amputation of toes , feet, even legs. What bothers me is that this condition can be readily identified by taking a few simple steps ( no pun intended) in the home that can save you from a lifetime of misery:
Never, ever walk without shoes. The slightest break in the skin could all in invading organisms. Taking a trip to the bathroom at 4am? Put on your slippers. Diabetics suffer from nerve damage and decreased blood flow to the legs and feet thus limiting the flow of oxygen and infection fighting cells to the area. What happens is the infection starts and you don't feel it until one morning you wake up and your foot is the size of a football and red as fire and you end up spending a week or more in the hospitaL depending on the treatment, from IV antibiodics to amputation.
As a corollary, take two minutes a day to inspect your feet. If you see any break in the skin, areas of redness or anything out of the ordinary get in touch with your doctor quick. I cannot stress how important this exam is both because of its ability to identify problems before they get out of hand and and the simplicity which they can be found
Say your niece comes over and says " Auntie, your toenails look terrible, let me cut them for you". Tell her that you dropped the nailclipper just outside the door to the apartment. When she goes out to retrieve it lock her out and don't let her back in. Do not let anyone, including yourself cut your toe nails. They should be trimmed by a podiatrist who is trained in the procedure.
Diabetic foot infections are a significant cause of morbid in diabetics but most effects can be greatly minimized by following the suggestions outlined above.
Good day and good health
