What your foot doctors in Salem, Oregon want you to know.
Diabetes is a common medical condition affecting over 29 million people in this country, according to the American Diabetes Association. The serious effects of diabetes are well known, but what isn’t so well known are the effects diabetes can have on your feet. Dr. James Lisle and Dr. Lee Poston at Cascade Foot Center in Salem, Oregon want to share how to take care of your feet when you are a diabetic.
If you have diabetes, you probably already know that it causes changes to your immune, circulatory, and nervous systems. Each of these important systems becomes impaired and won't function as well as they should. Your feet will feel the difference:
- With a compromised immune system, your body may not heal well; this means that a small open sore or blister can turn into a large diabetic ulcer.
- With a compromised circulatory system, blood flow is restricted to parts of your body; this means that you may not have adequate blood flow to your feet and toes, which can result in tissue death and even amputations of toes.
- With a compromised nervous system, your sensory nerves may not function so you may not feel it if you hurt your feet; this means that if you burn or cut your feet, you may not realize it.
Your foot doctors at Cascade Foot Center want to share some advice on how to care for your feet when you have diabetes:
- Stretch and exercise your ankles, feet, and toes daily
- Check your feet daily for blisters, sores and other injuries
- Clean any injuries and bandage them promptly
- Bathe and dry your feet every day, and apply moisturizing lotion
- Wear socks and comfortable shoes daily
A visit to your foot doctors is a vital part of keeping your feet healthy, especially when you are a diabetic. Healthy feet can keep you moving and enjoying your life. For more information about diabetic foot care and other podiatry services call Drs. James Lisle and Lee Poston at Cascade Foot Center in Salem, Oregon today!