The Care of the foot!
Simple measures save lives, thought I'd add a few tips to my blog about simple health measures you can take to prevent disastrous situations.
This topic is basically for those who are diabetic but I guess anyone can learn a few tips.
Diabetes is one disease that sticks with the patient for life. Like primary hypertension, it is not a disease that dissapears. So its important to do things that help prevent complications that may arise if the condition is not well managed. In diabetes the care of the foot can prevent a most dreaded complication- The diabetic foot.
Here is what I tell my patients who are diabetic about their feet:
Doctor O: So Baba have you ever been told how to take care of your feet?
Patient: Ese mi, O ti o (My feet, No i haven't)
Doctor O: OK ill tell you. Your feet are very important to you and you need to do the following:
1. Don't wear ill fitting shoes, that is shoes that are too tight, or don't fit you too well.
Patient: Ah doctor I don't even wear shoes at all, I wear slippers.
Doctor O: Thats ok but make sure they are comfortable and not worn out, and have no edges that can injure you.
Patient: Why is that so?
Doctor O: Diabetes is a disease that affects the nerves and especially in poorly controlled DM(short form for Diabetes Mellitus), sensation is affected. Your feet are generally the part of your body that are in close contact with the ground and nerves in the legs are most commonly affected by a loss of sensation causing you not to realise when your shoes are ill fitting or too tight. This could lead to you developing blisters or sores which you may not notice if you don't pay attention to your feet which is the main reason I'm having this talk with you.
Patient: Thank you, please go on.
Doctor O: All the following things are linked to this one reason above.
2. Don't ever use a blade to cut your toenails and don't cut your toenails too short.
This is to prevent you from cutting yourself without realising it. Do you remember when I told you that wounds heal poorly in those with DM?
Patient: I remember what you said, but if I don't use a blade what can I use?
Doctor O: A nail cutter. You even have one as a key holder.
Patient: Yes i do, I shall convert it to its proper use from now on.
Doctor O: I want you to make this next point a daily habit Baba, it can even become a family ritual. 3. I want you to wash your feet every day.
Patient: Wash my feet? I wash them everyday when I have my bath.
Doctor O: Baba I would like you to do it another time. Say in the evening. Get a small bowl fill it with warm water. Use the soap you normally bathe with and wash you feet thoroughly, paying close attention to the space between each toe. When you finish, dry your feet with a towel and rub a little vaseline on it. People with DM have drier skin which leads to cracking then infection and ultimately the diabetic foot!
Finally, if during this daily ritual you find what you think is a tiny wound or blister, DO NOT treat it at home come at once to the hospital, for what you think is a tiny wound can be something more sinister.
Patient: Doctor thank you very much for all this information, I shall start right away.
Doctor O: Im happy to hear that, I will ask at your next visit if you did.
Patient: Don't worry, I will definitely not dissapoint you!
End of Song, beginning of story.........:) (high society)
This topic is basically for those who are diabetic but I guess anyone can learn a few tips.
Diabetes is one disease that sticks with the patient for life. Like primary hypertension, it is not a disease that dissapears. So its important to do things that help prevent complications that may arise if the condition is not well managed. In diabetes the care of the foot can prevent a most dreaded complication- The diabetic foot.
Here is what I tell my patients who are diabetic about their feet:
Doctor O: So Baba have you ever been told how to take care of your feet?
Patient: Ese mi, O ti o (My feet, No i haven't)
Doctor O: OK ill tell you. Your feet are very important to you and you need to do the following:
1. Don't wear ill fitting shoes, that is shoes that are too tight, or don't fit you too well.
Patient: Ah doctor I don't even wear shoes at all, I wear slippers.
Doctor O: Thats ok but make sure they are comfortable and not worn out, and have no edges that can injure you.
Patient: Why is that so?
Doctor O: Diabetes is a disease that affects the nerves and especially in poorly controlled DM(short form for Diabetes Mellitus), sensation is affected. Your feet are generally the part of your body that are in close contact with the ground and nerves in the legs are most commonly affected by a loss of sensation causing you not to realise when your shoes are ill fitting or too tight. This could lead to you developing blisters or sores which you may not notice if you don't pay attention to your feet which is the main reason I'm having this talk with you.
Patient: Thank you, please go on.
Doctor O: All the following things are linked to this one reason above.
2. Don't ever use a blade to cut your toenails and don't cut your toenails too short.
This is to prevent you from cutting yourself without realising it. Do you remember when I told you that wounds heal poorly in those with DM?
Patient: I remember what you said, but if I don't use a blade what can I use?
Doctor O: A nail cutter. You even have one as a key holder.
Patient: Yes i do, I shall convert it to its proper use from now on.
Doctor O: I want you to make this next point a daily habit Baba, it can even become a family ritual. 3. I want you to wash your feet every day.
Patient: Wash my feet? I wash them everyday when I have my bath.
Doctor O: Baba I would like you to do it another time. Say in the evening. Get a small bowl fill it with warm water. Use the soap you normally bathe with and wash you feet thoroughly, paying close attention to the space between each toe. When you finish, dry your feet with a towel and rub a little vaseline on it. People with DM have drier skin which leads to cracking then infection and ultimately the diabetic foot!
Finally, if during this daily ritual you find what you think is a tiny wound or blister, DO NOT treat it at home come at once to the hospital, for what you think is a tiny wound can be something more sinister.
Patient: Doctor thank you very much for all this information, I shall start right away.
Doctor O: Im happy to hear that, I will ask at your next visit if you did.
Patient: Don't worry, I will definitely not dissapoint you!
End of Song, beginning of story.........:) (high society)
Thank you for these tips.An estimated 20 percent of all high-blood-pressure patients, or 12 million Americans, have LVH and are at increased risk of developing diabetes.
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