How To Prevent Foot Ulcers In Diabetes?

Diabetic Foot Ulcers:

Diabetics tend to have impaired wound healing mechanisms. A diabetic foot ulcer is a common complication of diabetes mellitus resulting from this impaired healing. Of the various types of foot ulcers in diabetics, arterial, neurotrophic and venous ulcers are the commonest.

Foot Ulcers – A Dreaded Complication:

Getting treated for a diabetic foot ulcer is time consuming and expensive. Patients need to take long term medications and may also need hospitalization. Not managing the foot ulcer as indicated may lead to amputation of the limb which causes a great impact on the patient’s life and routine. Hence, the phrase “prevention is better than cure” is strongly applicable to a diabetic foot ulcer…

Ways to prevent foot ulcers in diabetes:

• Be alert for any injuries on your foot. Smallest of the small injury needs good care and monitoring if you are diabetic.
• Injuries should be kept clean, moist. A professional dressing along with an antibiotic if required can be done to stimulate formation of healing tissue. Daily foot examination is mandatory.
• Eating healthy food and good nutrition is the base of an accelerated healing mechanism in the body. Hence, eat nutritive substances in your diet like salads, lots of vegetables, nuts and delete foods which provide you empty calories like bakery products, packed and canned foods.
• A thorough physical examination with emphasis on lower extremity/ foot examination will be done by your doctor to look for any damages to blood circulation or nerve supply. Your doctor will also check if you are wearing any ill fitting shoes.
• Most importantly watch your blood sugar levels closely.
• Apart from blood sugar levels, monitoring your blood pressure also becomes equally important.
• Cholesterol levels also contribute to wound healing, hence keep a check on them too.
• Avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Get started now, it is never too late to start a regular morning walk in your nearest park. Walking increases the blood circulation and avoids clot formation.
• Aim to quit smoking if you are a chronic smoker. Nicotine is known to make your blood more likely to clot.
• Swelling in the lower legs is often an indication of the development of a foot ulcer. Elevating the feet above the heart level or keeping a pillow below your feet while sleeping will help prevent stagnation of blood, reduction of swelling and will help prevent formation of ulcer.
• Using compression stockings or multilayer compression bandages will also help reduce the swelling of your feet.
• If at all you develop an ulcer, a keen observation and accurate diagnosis is the key to proper management of the foot ulcer. A misdiagnosed ulcer often leads to mismanagement.

Nevertheless, a quarterly check up for blood sugar levels, lipid levels (cholesterol levels) and blood pressure will give you a fair idea about the working of major systems in your body. Above all following a strict diet, exercise and keeping yourself stress free is the key to avoid this dreaded complication of Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

In the event of a long standing non healing ulcer, homoeopathic medicines will help enhance your body’s healing capacities. To know more about how homoeopathy at Lifeforce can help your diabetic foot ulcer, do get in touch with us today.