Foot Diabetic

Prevent Foot Amputation: 5 Free Things People With Diabetes Can Do Now

Now, lest you think life with diabetes is all doom and gloom and foot problems, please remember that it's entirely possible to take good care of yourself, your diabetes, and your feet. Catching problems early (and preventing problems entirely where possible) are crucial in preventing future complications. After all an ounce of prevention is work a pound of cure. So, here are a few things you can do:

1) Daily foot inspections - Inspecting your foot daily may not sound like the most exciting use of your time, but such inspections are essential in finding problems to your foot early on, particularly if you have nerve damage. (If it helps to make it seem less boring, you can begin your inspections by donning a Sherlock Holmes type of cap, putting a pipe (an unlit one, of course) firmly between your teeth and using a wonderfully large magnifying glass.) If you can't see your foot well, or if you have trouble reaching it, have a friend or family member assist you, or use a mirror (the magnifying ones are best) to check those hard-to-see places (like the bottom of your foot). (You can also use the mirror to tell yourself what a wonderful person you are, and compliment yourself on your excellent self-care of your feet.) Pay particular attention to the soles of your foot and between your toes, since this is where problems can often crop up. Check your skin for any sign of irritation or injury. Look for scrapes or cuts (however small), blisters, rashes, signs of infection like redness, swelling, drainage, or a bad smell, or possibly changes in skin color, or loss of hair on your foot or toes. Check your nails for problems. Do they look yellowed or have other changes in color? Are they thickened, deformed, striped, or just not growing? Look for signs that you may have fractured your foot. Check your foot overall for redness, see if it's warm or hot to the touch, swollen, or has changed in size, shape or direction. If you notice any of the above on your feet, see your podiatrist as soon as possible. Don't assume that the problem will go away on its own, and don't try to just wait it out. Getting problems treated early is a MUST in diabetic foot care. Doing so can significantly reduce your chance of developing a severe complication. Set a specific time for your foot inspection every day, just to be sure you don't forget.

2) Clean your feet - Wash your feet every day with lukewarm water and mild soap. (You can even make this part of your foot inspection regimen, if you like.) Be sure to test the water temperature with your hand (or elbow if your hand doesn't have great sensation either) just to make sure it isn't too hot, or have someone test the water for you. Dry your feet thoroughly but gently using a soft towel, paying particular attention to the skin between your toes. You can use talcum powder (aka baby powder) to wick moisture away from your skin, but be sure to get rid of any residue, particularly between your toes. Don't soak your feet unless your podiatrist advises you to do so.

3) Lubricate dry skin - Apply a thin film of moisturizer (Cetaphil cream is recommended) to the soles of your feet while they're still wet. Avoid getting the cream between your toes, since this can foster a fungal infection.

4) Trim nails - Cut your nails straight across. Rounding corners down can lead to ingrown toenails, which can become infected. Keeping your nails properly trimmed can also reduce pressure within your shoe and help you avoid other complications. If your feet are fragile with poor circulation or feeling then you may need to have this done by your podiatrist.

5) Promote circulation to your foot - You can help blood flow more easily to your foot by putting up your feet while sitting. (Putting up your feet while standing isn't likely to work well.) You can also try little foot exercises like wiggling your toes and moving your foot up and down at the ankle for five minutes at a time. Try doing this about two or three times a day.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. See your podiatrist at least twice a year, and be sure to tell him or her that you have diabetes. See your podiatrist immediately if you notice any blisters, punctures, pain in your feet or legs (leg pain may be a sign of a blocked artery), change in skin or nail color, loss of sensation, or if there's an area of your foot with increased or decreased temperature.

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Clincial Care of the Diabetic Foot List Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $36.18 You save: $3.77 (9%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product

High Risk Diabetic Foot: Treatment and Prevention List Price: $200.00 Sale Price: $173.78 You save: $26.22 (13%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Emphasizing a team approach that includes the practicing podiatrist, endocrinologist, diabetologist, vascular surgeon, orthopedist, and infectious disease specialist, The High Risk Diabetic Foot provides a thorough and detailed resource on the management of complex diabetic foot problems. This comprehensive text is an essential tool that will enable physicians to reduce infections and amputations through careful examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Key features in The High Risk Diabetic Foot include: A full section devoted to the prevention of amputation High-quality images for accurate diagnosis Chapters organized by epidemiology, classification and staging, diagnosis, special studies, and medical and surgical management Summary tables and flow charts for quick reference A discussion of the co-morbidities associated with diabetic foot pathology, including sensory neuropathy, painful neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, food wounds, and more Identification of the level of medical evidence associated with treatment recommendations

Clinical Care of the Diabetic Foot List Price: $34.95 Sale Price: $27.26 You save: $7.69 (22%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Finally, there is a far more practical book on foot care for people with diabetes written especially for the non-specialist primary care provider. Contents include foot exams, risk classification, infection, foot ulcers, debridement, evaluation, and more. All chapters are written by diabetic foot care specialists.

Surgical Reconstruction of the Diabetic Foot and Ankle List Price: $229.00 Sale Price: $201.31 You save: $27.69 (12%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Featuring more than 1,200 illustrations, including over 800 in full color, this book presents a stepwise approach to the surgical management of the most challenging cases in diabetic limb salvage. The book covers acute and chronic diabetic foot and ankle wounds and guides surgical decision-making in different case scenarios, including prophylactic, elective, trauma, and revisional surgery. Emphasis is on the multidisciplinary team approach. Topics covered include surgical reconstruction of the acute and chronic Charcot foot and ankle; local random, muscle and pedicle flaps for soft tissue coverage of the diabetic foot; equinus deformity and the diabetic foot; surgical management of malunions and nonunions; and autogeneous bone grafting and orthobiologics.

The Diabetic Foot (Contemporary Diabetes) List Price: $229.00 Sale Price: $58.54 See Reviews For This Product Description Edited by renown researchers from one of the oldest and most experienced diabetic foot centers in the world, The Diabetic Foot, Second Edition, features established and effective treatments to diabetic foot disease as well as new developments in basic and clinical research. Considerably expanded and updated from the acclaimed first edition, its topics range from proven preventive strategies to cutting-edge wound care techniques that are drawn from new developments such as growth factors and living skin equivalents. Also included are new chapters on the physiology and pathophysiology of wound healing, preparation of wound bed, and new information on the development of foot imaging and treatment. In keeping with the spirit of the first edition, this volume gives the reader a full view of diabetic foot disease and emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach in its management. The Diabetic Foot, Second Edition is an essential reference for the growing problem of diabetes. It will be a great value to diabetologists, endocrinologists, internists, family physicians, podiatrists, vascular surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons in finding a thorough presentation for treating diabetic foot disease.

Managing the Diabetic Foot Sale Price: $50.95   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Two per cent of the world's population have diabetes and of these, ten per cent will have a foot ulcer at any one time. Foot ulcers in diabetics are difficult to treat and very slow to heal. They result in more amputations than any other pathology. Severe ulcers are very debilitating, often require hospitalisation (half of all diabetic patients in hospital have foot ulcers) and can even result in death through complications such as gangrene and septicaemia. Foot problems in diabetic patients are very difficult to treat. Therefore visual recognition of presenting clinical signs is a vital component of early diagnosis and start of treatment. Treatment in this field is developing with the launch of 'synthetic' skin grafts such as Apligraf (Novartis). In the UK, the Department of Health published guidelines for the National Service Framework for Diabetes in December 2001. Alethea Foster was involved in the development of these guidelines. They are to be implemented in all hospitals/clinics/GP practices by April 2004 and call for 'proficient, rapid foot care for patients'. This book will reflect the changes resulting from the implementation of these guidelines. Although these guidelines are only those adopted in the UK, the book will have a global focus. The information presented will be relevant to anyone involved in treating diabetic patients. The previous approach to the first edition, incorporating numerous practical tips on the day to day assessment and management of the diabetic foot (which are not covered in any other diabetic foot books) will be expanded and made more formal by including an appropriate section in each chapter on practical management hints. There will be a new introductory chapter describing the assessment of the diabetic foot incorporating an illustrated section on differential diagnosis. However, the basic framework of the book will be similar to the first edition as follows: infected foot, necrotic foot and unsalvageable foot. However, each section will undergo substantial revision as described below: Low-risk foot: new approaches to blood glucose control, lipids and blood pressure management, as demonstrated by recent landmark trials, will be incorporated. The use of statins, ACE inhibitors and anti-platelet agents all have new indications. High-risk foot: section on neuropathy will be expanded to include new approaches to neuropathy management (PKC inhibitor, Eli Lily drug) and management of painful neuropathy (gabapentin, Pfeizer). Ulcerated foot: notes on differential diagnosis will be added including squamous cell carcinomas and gouty ulcers which we have recently added to our collection: new approaches to management of ulceration including the VAC pump, Kerraboot (Ark therapeutics’ new product), the pulse compression boot, silver dressings, promogran, MPIs (metallo-protease inhibitors), maggots, and wound odour management with new therapies, will all be incorporated. New techniques of off-loading such as the PRAFO (Pressure-relieving ankle foot orthosis) and the knee scooter will be included, as will the time-honoured podiatric technique of adhesive felt padding. More practical details on manufacture and use of the Scotchcast boot for ischaemic ulceration will be covered. Infected foot: an expanded section on infection will include detailed consideration of MRSA and new resistant gram negative microorganisms. The very early signs of infection will be elaborated upon and osteomyelitis will be revisited. The use of MRI in the assessment of the infected foot to detect collections of pus and osteomyelitis will be discussed. New therapies including Linezolid (Pfizer drug) will be discussed. The necrotic foot: the vascular assessment and management will be updated including MRI and new angioplasty techniques such as sub-intimal angioplasty and outpatient day case angioplasty. Protection from contrast nephropathy will be discussed, highlighting acetyl cysteine and the withdrawal of dopamine therapy (no longer used, but discussed in the previous edition). New techniques of blood vessel closure following angioplasty, such as the perclose technique will be discussed. Implications of end stage renal failure will be covered in more detail. The unsalvageable foot section will be greatly extended to cover details of rehabilitation and prostheses. Throughout all the sections the educational element will be expanded. A new section on Charcot’s osteoarthropathy will be written to incorporate new approaches to diagnosis and management, including the CROW walker and reconstructive surgery. A new section will cover diabetic foot surgery.

The Diabetic Foot: Medical and Surgical Management Sale Price: $165.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Features multidisciplinary management of diabetic foot problems and gives a detailed review of the pathophysiology. Emphasizes the prevention of diabetic foot ulceration and covers new treatments, including growth factors and living skin equivalents. DNLM: Diabetic Foot--therapy.

Diabetic Foot: Lower Extremity Arterial Disease and Limb Salvage Sale Price: $179.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Understanding tibio-peroneal occlusive disease and its management is vital in treating patients with peripheral vascular disease. Occlusive disease and the resulting ischemia threaten the viability of the lower limb, particularly in diabetics. Edited by widely-respected vascular surgeon Anton N. Sidawy, this textbook explores all aspects of tibio-peroneal disease, including pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and management of the lower extremity after adequate circulation is restored. It examines risk factors, disease distribution, and general management issues connected with diabetic patients, as well as adjuvant chemotherapy to improve patency of prosthetic bypasses, thrombolytic therapy for failed bypasses, wound healing, and amputations of the foot and leg.