My insulin Log

As more and more of the population struggles with their weight, it’s not surprising that the incidence of diabetes is on the rise. With better medical testing, more and more cases of diabetes are being diagnosed.

If you, or someone you love, have been diagnosed with diabetes, there are several things you should know about living with the disease.

Two of the most significant side effects of diabetes are nerve damage and poor blood flow. Nerve damage results when the nerve cells’ normal functioning has been disrupted by too much sugar in the blood. This changes the structure and behavior of the cells, causing them to respond poorly. Diabetics often lose sensation in their feet, making them prone to cuts and puncture wounds that they cannot feel. Left untreated, these cuts and puncture wounds can become infected and dangerous. The loss of sensation in any of the extremities is termed diabetic neuropathy.

The second most significant side effect of diabetes is poor blood flow. This is termed peripheral vascular disease, and results in poor healing of cuts and wounds.

With these two significant side effects, it is very important that diabetics have their feet checked twice a day for any cuts, wounds, or sores. Feet should be cleaned daily and dried fully. Diabetics should wear shoes or house slippers most of the day, even when at home, as this will decrease the likelihood of them stepping on a sharp object and being injured.

Proper foot care is very important for diabetics, as wounds to the feet will take much longer to heal, since the feet are the farthest away from the heart. The poor blood circulation common to this disease makes it less likely that wounds in the lower half of the body will heal quickly, if at all. Therefore, it is very important to prevent them in the first place.

Here are a few more recommendations for foot care for diabetics:

Keep your feet clean by washing them daily. Dry them thoroughly, and be sure to check for cuts, wounds, or calluses each day.

Drink plenty of water to keep your skin well hydrated and strong. Also, consider drinking pure, unflavored green tea. Research has shown that green tea’s powerful and unique ingredient called catechins reduces both blood glucose and insulin levels. They are also found to be very effective starch and glucose blockers in the digestive tracts. Another interesting fact about green tea is that it helps get rid of excess fat which causes diabetes.

Use lotion to repair dry skin on the feet or heels.

Monitor water temperature while bathing, as diabetics may not feel hot water in time and may be scalded.

As mentioned, always wear shoes or slippers, to protect feet from injury. Get in the habit of running your hand on the inside of your footwear, before wearing, to make sure there are no nails or sharp items protruding into the foot bed.

Finally, be sure to be properly fitted for your shoes. Shoes that are too tight can cause ongoing foot problems.

Although living with diabetes is not easy, diabetes can be managed. One place to start is by using these tips to keep your feet in good shape and healthy.

If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are too high. Over time, this can damage your nerves or blood vessels. Nerve damage from diabetes can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. You may not feel a cut, a blister or a sore. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers and infections. Serious cases may even lead to amputation. Damage to the blood vessels can also mean that your feet do not get enough blood and oxygen. It is harder for your foot to heal, if you do get a sore or infection.

Diabetes also accelerates macrovascular disease, which is evident clinically as accelerating atherosclerosis and/or peripheral vascular disease. Most diabetic foot infections occur in the setting of good dorsalis pedis pulses; this finding indicates that the primary problem in diabetic foot infections is microvascular compromise. Impaired microvascular circulation hinders white cell migration into the area of infection and limits the ability of antibiotics to reach the site of infection in an effective concentration. Diabetic neuropathy may be encountered in conjunction with vasculopathy.

Foot problems are a big risk. Like all diabetic people, you should monitor your feet. If you don’t, the consequences can be severe, including amputation, or worse. Minor injuries become major emergencies before you know it. With a diabetic foot, a wound as small as a blister from wearing a shoe that’s too tight can cause a lot of damage. Diabetes decreases your blood flow, so your injuries are slow to heal. When your wound is not healing, it’s at risk for infection. As a diabetic, your infections spread quickly.

Symptoms

Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes occurs most often in children and young adults, but it can develop at any age. Because their bodies do not produce it, patients with this type must take insulin daily to regulate blood sugar levels.

Type II: Any Type I symptom, plus: unexplained weight gain, pain, cramping, tingling or numbness in your feet, unusual drowsiness, frequent vaginal or skin infections, dry, itchy skin and slow healing sores.

Causes

The diabetic may not properly perceive minor injuries (such as cuts, scrapes, blisters), signs of abnormal wear and tear (that turn into calluses and corns), and foot strain. Normally, people can feel if there is a stone in their shoe and remove it immediately. A diabetic may not be able to perceive a stone. Its constant rubbing can easily create a sore.

In patients with diabetes, superficial skin infections such as cellulitis are caused by the same organisms as those in healthy hosts, namely group A streptococci and S aureus. However, in unusual epidemiologic circumstances, organisms such as Pasteurella multocida (eg, from dog or cat bites or scratches) may be noted and should always be considered.

Treatment

Treatment for foot sores or ulcers that do not heal properly due to poor circulation may involve a vessel bypass. Blocked blood vessels (i.e., atherosclerosis) can be bypassed with a blood vessel graft. Improved circulation promotes healing.

Examine your feet daily and also after any trauma, no matter how minor, to your feet. Report any abnormalities to your physician. Use a water-based moisturizer every day (but not between your toes) to prevent dry skin and cracking. Wear cotton or wool socks. Avoid elastic socks and hosiery because they may impair circulation.

Make an appointment with a podiatrist to treat foot problems or to have corns or calluses removed. Never attempt to treat these yourself using over-the-counter remedies. If obesity prevents you from being physically able to inspect your feet, ask a family member, neighbor, or a visiting nurse to perform this important check.