If you have diabetes, monitoring your health can be a daunting task to manage: checking your blood sugar, prepare healthy foods, find time to be active, take medications, and go to doctor’s appointments. With all of this, your feet might be the last thing on your mind.
“Poorly controlled diabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels going to the feet,” said Dr. Daniel Lamar, an internal medicine specialist at 56th Medical group in Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. “As a result, people can lose feeling in their feet. This causes people to change the way they walk and can lead to sores on their feet that they don’t feel.
Diabetes is the sixth cause of death in the United States, with more than 11 percent of the American population having the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to National Institutes of Health, foot problems are common among people with diabetes. Checking and caring for your feet daily can help reduce the risk of diabetes-related foot problems. Managing your blood sugar can also help keep your feet healthy.
Due to nerve damage in the feet, people can develop sores, which can then become infected and be very difficult to treat due to damage to the blood vessels, according to Lamar. “Damaged blood vessels lead to decreased blood flow, making it difficult for the immune system to respond and making it difficult to deliver high levels of antibiotics to the infected area. As a result, people can end up with amputations.
When poorly controlled, Lamar notes that diabetes causes complications throughout the body. “It can damage all nerve cells, including the retina. Diabetes is the most common cause of non-traumatic amputations in the United States and one of the two most common causes of dialysis. It can also make people blind. »
When should you see the doctor?
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately:
- Leg pain or cramps in the buttocks, thighs or calves
- Tingling, burning or pain in the feet
- Loss of sense of touch or the ability to feel heat or cold very well
- A change in the shape of your feet over time
- Hair loss on toes, feet and lower legs
- Dry, cracked skin on the feet
- A change in the color and temperature of your feet
- Thick, yellow nails
- Fungal infections such as athlete’s foot between the toes
How to keep your feet healthy
“Prevention is the best way to keep your feet healthy. Diabetes complications are mainly associated with poorly controlled diabetes. If a patient controls their blood sugar, manages their weight and sees a provider regularly, it greatly reduces the risk of long-term complications,” said Rachel Perkins Garner, disease management nurse at Luke Air Force Base.
Here are some tips for caring for your feet:
- Check your feet daily for cuts, swelling and blisters.
- Wash your feet every day.
- Never walk barefoot.
- Wear well-fitting shoes.
- Cut your nails.
- Have your feet checked with the doctor.
Not all diabetes is the same
There are two types of diabetes, each with its own causes and treatments:
- Type 1 diabetes: This is a rare form, which accounts for approximately 5% of all diabetes. According to the CDC, type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Treatment focuses on blood sugar management with insulin, diet and lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes: This is the most common type. “Type 2 diabetes is caused primarily by genetic factors and fatty tissue,” Dr. Lamar said. “As people have more adipose tissue, people with a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes will see their insulin resistance worsen.” Being overweight is one of the main causes of type 2 diabetes and prevents your body from using insulin properly. “Many patients with type 2 diabetes can cure it by losing weight, but even if losing weight doesn’t cure a person’s diabetes, it will make it easier to control,” Lamar said.
Lamar noted that if a person doesn’t control their diabetes properly, they may feel thirsty all the time and urinate a lot. “People whose diabetes is poorly controlled generally feel unwell. »
Staying healthy and creating a lifestyle change is important
According to the CDC, eating healthily, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can help control your diabetes.
With more than 130,000 Department of Defense beneficiaries worldwide affected by diabetes, according to Perkins Garner, the Defense Health Agency considers it urgent to combat this chronic disease.
One example is the DOD’s emphasis on promoting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The US Air Force adopted Lifestyle and performance medicine to keep their airmen healthy.
According to Perkins Garner, “Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention that is based on six pillars: a whole-food, predominantly plant-based diet, regular physical activity, restful sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and positive effects. social connections. These performed interventions can prevent, treat and often reverse chronic diseases, such as diabetes.
Defense Intrepid Network for Traumatic Brain Injury and Brain Health: https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/NICOE/About/Defense-Intrepid-Network-for-TBI-and-Brain-Health
Intrepid National Center of Excellence: https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/NICOE
Learn how to TRICARE can help you live your healthiest life with diabetes with covered services and supplies.
