Care of the diabetic foot in winter.
Spain, February 2012.- one of the most important and common complications faced by patients with diabetes is damage in the feet, that they lose sensitivity being exposed to injuries and infections. Diabetic foot suffer approximately 10% of people with diabetes. Winter should exercise extreme caution and must be taken into account, says Dr. Laura López-Táppero Irazabal, doctor of family of the Hospital USP San Camilo in Madrid, some recommendations, including wear socks without seams, use the new footwear progressively, not smoking and inspect your feet daily.
what is diabetic foot?
Diabetic foot is a disorder that affects the nerves, hampering irrigation of blood at the foot and decrease the sensation of pain and that, without due care, it can lead to serious damage.
The foot is a special risk area due to its distance from the heart, which in the case of people with diabetes suffers by the fact of having a less painful and thermal sensitivity that can lead to suffer injuries unless they are perceived by the patient.
Because diabetes blood vessels suffer a damage that hinders healing, because are the arteries which carry the necessary material so the tissue to regenerate and through which drugs reach the different parts of the body.
Consequences
Due to these factors a diaper rash can produce wounds that warn with difficulty, which may cause an infection that will colonize the area destroying tissue with a complicated healing, and can produce ulceration. It does not resolve spontaneously, and tends to get worse you can reach necrosarse tissue forcing amputate the Member.
Tips
Protection against damage is an essential part in the treatment of diabetic foot. Cold times should exercise extreme caution and must be taken into account, says Dr. Lopez-Táppero, a few specific comments:
-lack of sensitivity can hide the damage caused by excessive exposure to the cold.
– it is not advisable to expose toes near fire or stove or use bags of water hot. It is preferable to use a few socks to keep the heat.
-shoes have to be well adjusted but avoiding that they tighten, resulting in comfortable to not enforce the position of fingers and prevent scratches.
-We prefer to use socks and stockings natural fabric of cotton or wool, other materials such as nylon. It is not desirable to have seams, and its size must be appropriate to avoid producing pressures. Gums or the elastic on the edge hinder blood circulation and therefore avoid se.
-socks should be changed on a daily basis.
General recommendations
You can also find a series of general recommendations:
– toes are must inspect every day, looking for blisters or bleeding, especially around the nails and in the interdigital spaces. The tripe or hardness will be cared for by a Podiatrist. Also check shoes before make it and not walk with feet barefoot.
-follow a good daily hygiene of the feet, with washing and subsequent drying; properly choosing the material for cutting nails avoiding metal and sharp utensils. Is recommended that is reviewed by a Podiatrist.
-new footwear has to be used in a progressive manner, becoming for a time major.
-tobacco is very harmful for people with diabetes because it produces vasoconstriction.
Out of these precautionary measures, before the emergence at the foot of swelling, redness, blisters, or aceración even painless is very important review by a doctor to make a diagnosis and prevent the symptoms from getting worse.
