Diabetes is the leading cause of nerve damage.
Yam Cher Seng gives tips on foot care to prevent ulcers, infections or amputation. HAVE you been suffering from diabetes for almost five years? If so, you need to start protecting yourself from nerve damage or neuropathy.
Diabetes is the leading cause of neuropathy in developed countries. Nerve damage is the most common source of morbidity (complications) and mortality (death) in diabetes patients.
It is estimated that the prevalence of neuropathy in diabetes patients is approximately 20 per cent and is implicated in 50 to 75 per cent of non-traumatic amputations. Apart from hyperglycaemia being the main risk factor, duration of diabetes, age, cigarette smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidemia are also risk factors for diabetic neuropathy.
When nerve damage occurs especially at the feet, the sufferer may complain of numbness or pins and needles. Without proper foot care, the risk of developing foot ulcers, foot infections and even amputation is high.
Trained healthcare practitioners may help diabetics in assessing their risk by conducting monofilament test on the foot and provide advice on precautionary methods. Patients with an inability to detect pressure from such a filament have been shown to have a five-fold increased risk of foot ulceration.
To help maintain healthy nerves, an important antioxidant such as Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) should be considered. This is because oxidative stress is one of the main causes of complications in diabetes.
Apart from that, free radicals may also come from food, chemicals and environmental pollutants.
ALA is known as the universal antioxidant due to its unique properties and multiple benefits in helping the body fight against free radical damage.
In developed countries such as Germany, alpha lipoic acid has been widely used for the treatment of diabetes and its related complications such as nerve damage. ALA has demonstrated antioxidant properties that help reduce problems such as reduced blood flow and oxygen to the tissues, which are pre-requisites of neuropathy.
Protect your feet! Follow these simple guidelines (Based on the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Best Practice Guideline: Reducing Foot Complications for People with Diabetes, March 2004):
Check your feet daily
Look for red areas, blisters or any open area. If you cannot do this yourself, have someone else check for you. See your doctor or foot specialist right away if you find a problem!
*Protect your feet — always wear shoes!
Wear shoes that fit well and make sure that the shoes are not too tight. Do not wear shoes that cause reddened or sore areas. See a specialist for footwear advice.
*Keep your skin clean and soft.
Wash your feet regularly, but do not soak them. Dry well between your toes. Check that the water is not too hot before putting your feet in it. Use unscented creams. Do not put cream between the toes.
*Don’t hurt yourself with nail clippers or razors
Cut your nails straight across. Get help to cut your nails, if needed. Don’t cut calluses.
Yam Cher Seng gives tips on foot care to prevent ulcers, infections or amputation. HAVE you been suffering from diabetes for almost five years? If so, you need to start protecting yourself from nerve damage or neuropathy.
Diabetes is the leading cause of neuropathy in developed countries. Nerve damage is the most common source of morbidity (complications) and mortality (death) in diabetes patients.
It is estimated that the prevalence of neuropathy in diabetes patients is approximately 20 per cent and is implicated in 50 to 75 per cent of non-traumatic amputations. Apart from hyperglycaemia being the main risk factor, duration of diabetes, age, cigarette smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidemia are also risk factors for diabetic neuropathy.
When nerve damage occurs especially at the feet, the sufferer may complain of numbness or pins and needles. Without proper foot care, the risk of developing foot ulcers, foot infections and even amputation is high.
Trained healthcare practitioners may help diabetics in assessing their risk by conducting monofilament test on the foot and provide advice on precautionary methods. Patients with an inability to detect pressure from such a filament have been shown to have a five-fold increased risk of foot ulceration.
To help maintain healthy nerves, an important antioxidant such as Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) should be considered. This is because oxidative stress is one of the main causes of complications in diabetes.
Apart from that, free radicals may also come from food, chemicals and environmental pollutants.
ALA is known as the universal antioxidant due to its unique properties and multiple benefits in helping the body fight against free radical damage.
In developed countries such as Germany, alpha lipoic acid has been widely used for the treatment of diabetes and its related complications such as nerve damage. ALA has demonstrated antioxidant properties that help reduce problems such as reduced blood flow and oxygen to the tissues, which are pre-requisites of neuropathy.
Protect your feet! Follow these simple guidelines (Based on the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Best Practice Guideline: Reducing Foot Complications for People with Diabetes, March 2004):
Check your feet daily
Look for red areas, blisters or any open area. If you cannot do this yourself, have someone else check for you. See your doctor or foot specialist right away if you find a problem!
*Protect your feet — always wear shoes!
Wear shoes that fit well and make sure that the shoes are not too tight. Do not wear shoes that cause reddened or sore areas. See a specialist for footwear advice.
*Keep your skin clean and soft.
Wash your feet regularly, but do not soak them. Dry well between your toes. Check that the water is not too hot before putting your feet in it. Use unscented creams. Do not put cream between the toes.
*Don’t hurt yourself with nail clippers or razors
Cut your nails straight across. Get help to cut your nails, if needed. Don’t cut calluses.
