Why should I take care of my feet when I have diabetes?

Your feet must carry you throughout your life and are the foundation of your whole body.
When you have diabetes, it is extra important that you take care of your feet.
They are particularly vulnerable because people with diabetes, among other things, have a higher risk of neuritis, decreased blood supply and thus ulcers on the feet.
You have an increased risk of foot ulcers and neuritis if you have elevated blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol for a longer period of time.
High blood sugar can destroy the small blood vessels and nerves in your feet.

One of the most common complications of a non-regulated diabetes is that the sense of feeling in your feet gradually changes due to nerve damage.
We call it neuritis or diabetic neuropathy.
This means, among other things, that you have a reduced or perhaps no sense of feeling in your feet.
Therefore, if you have neuritis, you cannot feel if your shoe is pinching or if you have a stone in your shoe for example.
So, your foot can quickly develop a blister, crack or an ulcer which you do not even notice.

You can see more in the film “Neuritis in your feet”.

Once you have a foot ulcer, it requires professional treatment from healthcare staff.
And if you have a foot ulcer and also have poor blood circulation, then it will take longer for the ulcer to heal.
In the worst case, your ulcer may not heal.
And you are therefore at risk of losing a toe or part of your foot, and it is therefore very, very important that you avoid ulcers on your feet.
Once you have developed a foot ulcer, there is an increased risk that the ulcer will reappear if pressure is not taken off your foot properly.

You can do the following yourself to take good care of your feet:
Maintain a stable blood sugar level.
Of course, you cannot completely avoid low or high blood sugar, but remember that with stable blood sugar you may be able to postpone or completely avoid changes in your feet.
Have a thorough look at your feet every day, because you may not feel any changes in your feet at all.
You may want to use a mirror if you have difficulty reaching.
If you experience any changes on your feet, contact your doctor, nurse or chiropodist immediately.
That is, colour change, blister or ulcer.
See a chiropodist regularly, at least once a year.
Remember, you can receive a subsidy.
You can see more in the film “How do I get a subsidy for a chiropodist?”.
Also get more advice in the film “How to take good care of your feet in everyday life”.

For more information go to www.helbredsprofilen.dk