Archive for November, 2009

Did you wear a pair of tight fitting shoes for an all day shopping event and now your toe hurts? Was your young daughter so very excited to try her new roller blades but now she complains of sore spots on her ankles? What is common to both situations? A foot blister has developed. A blister is a bump filled with fluid that often looks like a bubble.
Now that you have a blister, what do you do to make the pain and discomfort go away? You will be happy to learn that blisters usually can heal on their own. Using proper foot care, you will have relief of foot pain quickly and with minimal effects on your body.
If the pain is bearable, try and do everything you can to keep the blister from breaking. Keeping the blister intact is nature’s way to keep out bacteria and lower the risk of infection. Only cover the blister if it rubs against something. If the blister does rub against something, make sure the blister is covered with a loose band aide, making sure that the tape is not on the blister itself. A large blister is best covered with a gauze pad which gives the sore a chance to breathe and helps absorb moisture. If the blister is on the bottom of your foot you will want to cover it with moleskin band aide which has a hole for the blister.
You only want to pop a blister if it’s painful or prevents you from walking. (If you are diabetic or have poor circulation, you should ask your doctor or podiatrist before doing this on your own feet.) Popping a blister usually helps decrease the pain because you allow the fluid to drain out. Make sure you leave the skin intact to prevent infection.
Important things to remember before taking care of your blister:
• Make sure you wash your hands and blister with soap and water. (Blisters can easily become infected)
• Wipe the blister with iodine or alcohol
• Sterilize a sharp needle by wiping with alcohol or putting it in flame
• Use the needle to puncture the blister several places along the edge. Allow the fluid to drain out and leave the skin alone
• Put an antibiotic ointment on the blister and cover with a bandage or gauze pad.
• After several days you will be to cut away the dead skin. Make sure the tweezers or scissors you used have been sterilized with rubbing alcohol. Apply more antibiotic ointment and a fresh bandage.
Foot blisters usually heal on their own with minimal care. However, if you do see signs of infection – redness, pus, increase pain, or warm to the touch- call your podiatrist. Otherwise, with time and good sanitary precaution, your skin should be good as new.

If you suffer from foot pain and are diabetic, you may be wondering if the two are connected. This foot pain can be of various degrees. For some people the pain is mild. For others the foot pain is so intense and painful that it limits them from doing many of their daily activities, such as walking and even driving. Foot pain is very individual.
For some people, symptoms of neuropathy develop before diabetes is ever diagnosed. Neuropathy is defined as nerve damage caused by diabetes. If peripheral nerves are damaged, this is referred to as peripheral neuropathy. This is commonly seen with the diabetic foot as nerves in the feet and lower leg are often affected. Sometimes just one nerve may be damage; this is called focal neuropathy and may also affect the foot. The difference between the two is that focal neuropathy occurs quickly awhile peripheral neuropathy gets worse over time.
It has been found that high blood sugars over time may damage nerves which results in neuropathy. A diabetic who has high blood sugars and drinks a lot of alcohol also increases their chance of nerve damage. With age, about half the people who are diabetic may eventually develop neuropathy. Take note of how your feet feel currently. The damage usually gets worse over time.  Comprehensive foot care is vital.

Here are some descriptions of the pain you might be suffering from:
• You may feel in your toes or balls of your feet a sensation much like tingling, prickling or burning. This pain travels upward through the feet and legs.
• You may also experience a sensation like electricity going through your feet. For many who suffer with this, they identify that the pain is worse at night than during the day.
• You may also experience extreme sensitivity to very light touch. For some people with neuropathy, even putting on socks and shoes can be very painful.
• While you might not consider this experiencing pain, take note of numbness or the lack of sensation in your feet. This is very important and can result in lots of complications for an individual with a diabetic foot.
Foot pain should be taken seriously and should not be ignored. Diabetic neuropathy is a very serious complication of diabetes. Work closely with your doctor and take charge of your health. It is important to remember that you can often prevent diabetic neuropathy or slow its progress with good blood sugar control and a healthy lifestyle. This should be your first line of defense. Once you have the foot pain, you need to be your own advocate. Talk with other diabetics who have found relief. Work closely with your doctor, and/or your podiatrist to find the treatment that best fits your feet.