If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, you've probably heard many horror stories about diabetics having their limbs amputated. Unfortunately, they're probably all true. Foot problems are particularly severe among many diabetics. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help prevent amputations from being done to save your life.
Many people want to blame their doctors when it is time for an amputation. But the truth is that we are all responsible for taking care of our own selves because we are the only ones who control how we live our lives. Your doctor can do checkups on you and provide treatment plans, but he can't be your nanny. What you do is up to you.
Taking Responsibility for Your Own Health May Prevent an Amputation
You have to be diligent in examining your extremities, particularly your feet. You should check them weekly, if not daily. If at any point you notice a loss of sense in an area on your feet, you need to take responsibility to prevent the complications from becoming dangerous. The following is a list of steps you should take at this point:
1. Be aware that if you are losing your sense of touch in your feet, it doesn't make sense to use your feet to test temperatures. Obviously, you shouldn't check the temperature of the bath water with your feet if the nerves aren't functioning too well. You must be very careful not to burn your feet.
2. You must begin wearing shoes or other protection on your feet at all times. You do not want to risk stepping on something sharp and cutting yourself, particularly since you may not notice it for a while. By that time, you may already have a severe infection and limited healthy blood flow to the area to help your immune system fight off the infection.
3. At this point you should be examining your feet several times per day. You can't afford to miss seeing any cuts or other wounds. These must be cleaned and treated immediately. Then you should go to your doctor.
4. Be aware that dryness can be a medical condition too, when it is at an extremity. If your foot cracks and bleeds it could become infected. If you notice the skin on your foot is dry, get medical advice on how to properly condition your skin. Remember that your sense of touch may be damaged and that you can't trust your foot to warn you about how bad it is. It is not a bad idea to soak your feet in warm water or warm saline water, under the guidance of your physician.
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