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Wear shoes or slippers all the time. Never go barefoot.Trim your toe nails carefully. Cut straight across and file the nail (figure 1). Do not cut cuticles or pop blisters. Ask your doctor to do any procedures that could involve cutting the skin, such as removing an ingrown toenail.Wash your feet with warm water and soap every day and pat them dry. Put a moisturizing cream or lotion on the tops and bottoms of your feet.Check both feet every day (figure 2). Look for cuts, blisters, swelling, or redness. Make sure to check all over your feet, including in between your toes. If you cannot see the bottoms of your feet, use a mirror or ask another person to check.Wear socks that are not too tight, and change them every day. Wear shoes that fit well, but are not too tight (figure 3).Check inside your shoes before you put them on. Make sure there is nothing sharp inside.
What other treatment might I have? " ” Some people might have other treatment for symptoms or problems caused by nerve damage. They might have treatment for: ‚
- Pain " “ Doctors can prescribe different medicines to treat pain that is caused by nerve damage.
- Foot problems " “ Doctors can treat foot problems that occur. There are different treatments, depending on how serious the problem is. For example, a doctor might do one or more of the following to treat an open sore:
- Clean the sore and remove any dead skin around it
- Prescribe antibiotic medicines
- Do surgery to remove a toe or part of the foot
How often should my doctor check my feet? " ” Your doctor should do a complete check of your feet once a year. He or she should also do a quick check of your feet at every visit. ‚
Can nerve damage be prevented? " ” Maybe, but doctors don't know for sure. If you have diabetes, some studies suggest you can reduce your risk of getting nerve damage by: ‚
- Keeping your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible
- Not smoking
- Losing weight, if you are overweight
- Making sure that your high blood pressure and heart disease are treated (if you have these conditions)
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. ‚
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. ‚
Topic 15648 Version 4.0 ‚
Release: 22.8 - C22.208 ‚
‚ © 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. ‚
figure 1
Trim your toenails
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Trim your toenails
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figure 2
Foot check for people with diabetes
People with diabetes should check both of their feet every day. It is important to check your feet all over, including in between your toes. If you cant see the bottom of your foot, use a mirror or ask another person to check for you. Let your doctor or nurse know if you find any:
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Foot check for people with diabetes
People with diabetes should check both of their feet every day. It is important to check your feet all over, including in between your toes. If you can't see the bottom of your foot, use a mirror or ask another person to check for you. Let your doctor or nurse know if you find any:
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figure 3
Shoe shape must match foot shape
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Shoe shape must match foot shape
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‚ © 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. ‚