Diabetes : Foot Care, Skin Care

by National Institute on Aging

(Page 7 of 8)

Foot Care

Foot care is very important for people with diabetes. High blood glucose levels and a reduced blood supply to the limbs cause nerve damage that reduces feeling in the feet. Someone with nerve damage may not feel a pebble inside his sock that is causing a sore. One may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers, which may lead to amputation.

People with diabetes should check their feet every day and watch for any cuts, sores, red spots, swelling, and infected toenails. Sores, blisters, breaks in the skin, infections, or buildup of calluses should be reported right away to a podiatrist or a family doctor.

Skin Care

Skin care is very important, too. Because people with diabetes may have more injuries and infections, they should protect their skin by keeping it clean, using skin softeners to treat dryness, and taking care of minor cuts and bruises.

Quiz

1. If you have diabetes, how often should you check your blood sugar levels?

A. as recommended by your doctor
B. once a month
C. once a week
D. three times a year

A is the correct answer. The best way to find out how well you are taking care of your diabetes is to check your blood to see how much glucose is in it. Ask your doctor how often you should check your blood glucose. Some people check their blood glucose once a day. Others do it three or four times a day. You may check before eating, before bed, and sometimes in the middle of the night.

2. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for people with diabetes. Therefore, it is important for people with diabetes to have their blood glucose, _______________, and ___________ tested regularly.

A. blood pressure and eyesight
B. cholesterol and kidneys
C. blood pressure and cholesterol
D. none of the above

C is the correct answer. Managing diabetes is not just about blood glucose. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death for people with diabetes. If you have diabetes, heart disease is more likely to strike you - and at an earlier age - than someone without diabetes. Therefore, people with diabetes need to monitor their A1C or blood glucose average, their blood pressure, and their cholesterol - the ABCs of diabetes.

3. Which test shows what the overall blood glucose was for the past 3 months?

A. diabetes test
B. oral glucose tolerance test
C. A1C test
D. none of the above

C is the correct answer. The A1C test shows what the average blood glucose was for the past 3 months. It shows how much glucose is sticking to your red blood cells. The doctor does this test to see what your blood glucose is most of the time. This test should be done at least twice a year.

4. Diabetes can raise blood glucose levels and lower blood supply to the limbs, causing nerve damage that reduces feeling in which body part?

A. the feet
B. the eyes
C. the heart
D. the liver

A is the correct answer. Foot care is very important for people with diabetes. The disease can raise blood glucose levels and lower blood supply to the limbs, causing nerve damage that reduces feeling in the feet. Someone with nerve damage may not feel a pebble inside their sock that is causing a sore. They may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers, which may lead to amputation.

Latest Research

Researchers continue to search for the cause or causes of diabetes and for ways to prevent and cure the disorder.

For example, scientists are looking for genes that may be involved in type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Some genetic markers and other indicators for type 1 diabetes have been identified, so it is now possible to check relatives of people with type 1 diabetes to see if they are at risk. Scientists are also researching ways to prevent or delay many of the complications associated with diabetes.

Many drugs are now available to treat type 2 diabetes. These include, for example, drugs that help the pancreas produce more insulin, make tissues more sensitive to insulin, or improve the liver's response to insulin.

About the Author

www.nia.nih.gov
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.