Patients who have diabetes are often encouraged to check their feet and toes regularly. This is because they can have more serious concerns related to their feet. The foot doctors at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers in Torrance, CA help patients with diabetic foot infections and wounds. Learn why diabetic foot care is important and how you can ensure the ongoing health of your feet with the help of your podiatrist.

What Is Diabetic Foot Care?
Diabetic foot care is the process of actively caring for your feet and toes when you're also managing diabetes. Diabetes can cause foot complications because this medical condition makes it harder for foot injuries and infections to resolve themselves normally. Foot care includes checking your feet for everything from ingrown toenails to keeping your feet clean and dry. Patients must also monitor blood circulation in the feet and report any numbness or potential nerve damage to a podiatrist as soon as possible.

Why Is It Important?
Patients who have diabetes often have problems with increased blood glucose levels, which is what impedes the healing process when the foot or a toe is injured. In an extreme case that isn't treated, a foot injury that becomes infected could lead to foot surgery or amputation. Diabetic foot care is important because it helps preserve foot function.

Foot Care Tips
If you have diabetes and are concerned about foot health, here are a few important tips to care for your feet:

• Wash and look at your feet daily. If you cannot see the bottom of your feet use a mirror.
• If you develop a cut or infection on your feet  it is important to see one of our podiatrists within one week.
• Keep you skin soft and supple by using a good moisturizing cream like Cerave or Eucerin daily
• A diabetic foot exam should be performed by a podiatrist every 3 months to help prevent foot problems
• Always wear socks and shoes in the house and when walking. 
• Diabetic shoes with extra depth and width and Diabetic arch supports are covered by your insurance once a year. This needs to be prescribed by a podiatrist.
• If you have numbness, pins and needles or burning in your feet this is called Neuropathy and the pain and discomfort can be treated with medications prescribed by a foot specialist
• Foot problems in Diabetes are preventable with the help of one of our Podiatrists

It's also crucial that you work with your primary care doctor to successfully treat your diabetes and keep your glucose levels normal.

Call for Help with Your Feet
It's important that you prioritize foot care if you've been diagnosed with diabetes. Keep in touch with your podiatrist at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers in Torrance, CA. Call 310-791-1092 today to request an appointment.