Did you know that many diabetics end up having their feet or legs amputated? This is not a pleasant subject to talk about and the idea of possibly losing one of your limbs is probably not the first thing that you want to consider after being diagnosed with diabetes. However, foot problems are a very common occurrence in people with diabetes that end up in amputation.
"If my foot or leg was amputated, wouldn't it be the doctor's fault for not taking care of my complications?" That is a very legitimate question to ask but unfortunately it is not always the doctor's fault when such severe circumstances come into play. Your doctor sees you as often as is needed for your checkups, tests, and treatment plans, but he cannot monitor you every day, every week, and sometimes months will go by before your next appointment.
Take Responsibility For Your Health!
In other words, you have more of a responsibility and making sure that certain conditions that stem from diabetes does not reach dangerous levels. When it comes to your feet and lower extremities, you absolutely must keep up with simple examinations that you can do by yourself on a daily basis.
If and when you start to notice a loss of sense in your feet, then adhering to the following precautions is of the utmost importance:
When the feeling in your foot starts to fade, you must be sure to prevent yourself from getting burned. Anytime you are about to step in hot water, a bath for example, then be sure to test the water first with your hands.
Walking and running around barefoot, especially outside, should be prohibited. Many diabetics who have lost a lot of feeling in their feet have seriously injured themselves by stepping on something sharp that has cut their foot and ended up in severe infection. Because of this loss of feeling, they did not realize that they were injured before was too late.
You must look over your feet every day and as often as possible. Sit down and use your eyes and give your feet a full examination so that you can look for any types of cuts, scratches, or infections that may have set in.
Your feet may also suffer serious conditions as a result of dryness. When the skin is not properly conditioned and moistened then it may crack and develop rigid looking cuts that can eventually bleed. Because you may not feel this happening, you must apply some type of lotion that will help keep your feet moisturized. Soaking them in warm water is also very helpful.
Karen Newton is a registered nurse and acclaimed author with over 25 years of health care experience. Her newest guide, Diabetic Diet Secrets, is an easy to follow guide to losing weight and getting control of your diabetes. Karen offers a free Diabetic Tips Course. Get diabetes recipes, diabetes information, and diabetic solutions at http://www.diabetes-program.com.
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