Were you told that your feet require special attention now that you have Type 2 diabetes? An ounce of prevention now is worth so much more when it comes to your feet and toes. We often neglect our feet during the day... we squash them into unsuitable shoes, pound them over all sorts of terrain, as well as put all our weight on the tiny bones that make up the structure of our feet. The primary care of your feet is entirely up to you!
Toenail fungus is a condition that can lead to more serious lesions for people with Type 2 diabetes. Infections of the nails can lead to permanent nail deformities, fungal infections in other parts of the body or paronychia, an infection of the skin around the nail. This is particularly common in diabetics. Paronychia should be treated with antibiotics or antifungal agents to prevent its spread to other soft tissue, blood or bone.
Researchers at the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Erzurum Region Educational and Research Hospital in Erzurum, Turkey, looked at risk factors for the disease. Their work was published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medicine Association, January 2011.
Three hundred and twenty-one volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were included in the study. Forty-one were found to have fungal infections of their toenails. Associations were found between having toenail fungus and having diabetic eye and nerve problems, obesity, a family history of Type 2 diabetes and duration of diabetes. It was therefore concluded people with Type 2 diabetes needed to control their blood sugar, lose excess weight, and take good care of their nails and feet.
Toenail fungus can make the toenail appear as if it had been bashed with something heavy. The toenail can be:
brittlechange in shapecrumblesuffer debris trapped underneath itturn white or yellowbecome detachedappear dull, or thickenedIf you see these signs, report them to your doctor. Treatment for toenail fungus includes oral medications and removal of the nail to allow the new healthy nail to grow in.
Paronychia gives the skin around the nails a red, swollen appearance and can be painful. Pus-filled blisters can also form. If the infection spreads the diabetic can experience:
chillsfevera general feeling of illnessjoint painmuscle pain, ora spread of the swelling and rednessThe condition should be reported and treated before serious complications appear.
Besides keeping blood sugar and weight under control, diabetics should take good care of their feet:
it is often suggested toenails should be professionally trimmedyour ten toes and your feet should be kept clean and dryalways wear well-fitting shoes with clean, dry socksYou may have heard of an unfortunate situation where a diabetic has lost a toe or limb through amputation due to complications related to diabetes. However, this not mean everyone must suffer this fate. If you stay on top of taking care of your feet with your diabetes management, you stand a good chance of keeping your toes and feet healthy.
To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments
Clicking on this link will help you to learn more about Type 2 Diabetes Solutions... Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective.
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