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How To Prevent Loss of Limb

Don’t deny you have diabetesAmputation Prevention

Anyone who has ever had an elevated blood sugar level is at risk for foot complications. It may be as simple as knowing that once in your life, even during pregnancy, you have had an elevated blood sugar level. If so, you are at risk and must monitor your feet.

If you diet-controlled diabetes, whether diagnosed as an adult or as a child, your feet are at risk for diabetic complications. The simple rule: If you have ever been told that you are at risk of developing diabetes, you need to consider your feet and work to prevent injury.

You don’t have to lose your limb

Limb Loss in the UkIt starts with daily foot checks: inspecting all sides, including the bottoms, which can be done best with someone’s help or a mirror. During a foot check, any changes in its shape or colour, sense of feeling/sensation, painful areas or skin integrity, need to be evaluated. Any new bunions, calluses or corns, need to be identified and shown to a medical doctor.

The overall foot shape could change due to a bone fracture that would also need the attention of a physician. Stress fractures are very small breaks in the bone, that will not usually change the shape of the foot, but may cause pain, bruising or swelling. The colour of the foot is important, as it helps show any changes in blood flow to it. Darkening, or loss of hair, may indicate that the blood or nerve supply has decreased. Less blood to the foot can mean slower healing of cuts and scrapes. Bruises indicate injuries. Especially important are the bruises or cuts found during a foot check that the person was not aware of at the time of injury. Any bruises within calluses are particularly important to show to a physician or podiatrist.Microfilament Testing

To monitor sensation, a monofilament can be used to test the foot and its ability to feel light touch. It is important as well to be sure the foot can sense the differences between hot, warm and cold water. Shower water can be first tested with the hand, and then the feet, to identify any loss of temperature sensation. Testing for any change in ability to “feel” with the feet is significant, because persons with diabetes can hurt themselves, and not be aware of the injury or its severity. By checking their feet daily, they can see any new wounds and monitor areas of healing.

If you have diabetes, you should wear more protective shoes, not sandals, to prevent any injuries to the feet and toes. The foot may not feel “numb”, but a progressive decrease in ability to feel light touch, temperature, or the presence of shoes, indicates a foot at risk. The loss of vibrating and touch sensation is gradual and easy to ignore, but it is the single most important feature to identify with regard to avoiding amputation.

Beware of Common Pitfalls

4 Keys for Prevention of Limb LossAny areas that are painful need to be examined very closely for any of the above-mentioned changes. Foot injuries that occur without the person’s knowledge can be the first sign of diabetes, especially when accompanied with decreased sensation. Wounds need to be monitored. When wounds take a long time to heal, the foot becomes at risk for infection, ulcers, and further damage to local tissue and bone. There are special bandaging techniques and ointments that can be used to help diabetic wounds heal, and concurrently prevent permanent damage.

As with any chronic disease, history is important, both the patient’s, as well as his or her family’s. Those who have had problems with any Aprilof the following (in the past or currently), need to consider themselves at risk: foot ulcers, toenail infections such as fungus, stress fractures or other single fractures of the foot, slow-healing wounds, bunions, corns and thick calluses. In the family history, any amputations of toes, feet or legs (part or whole), should be shared with a physician or podiatrist. Other family members with known diabetes, suspected diabetes, or problems with the feet such as mentioned above, should be shared with a physician or podiatrist.

The bottom line… take care of your feet, look at them daily and see your doctor or podiatrist if anything is suspicious. It is critical to be evaluated by a health professional with an adequate breadth of training, to determine an accurate diagnosis of your problem. Consideration of competing diagnoses, such as vitamin deficiencies, genetic conditions, spinal, vascular or neurological conditions, is important to your successful care.

                                             Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!

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