If you live with diabetes, you should check your feet daily. In case of detecting any type of injury, go immediately to your doctor. The injuries can be from a wound that does not heal a spine or nail buried, fungus on the nails or on the skin of the feet (carne esponjosa na unha como curar), but while that time comes, it is recommended that you carry out the following indications:
- Do not discount the importance of your injury: It is common to think that the foot will heal itself with the passage of time, however, the discomfort or infection can progress to become a chronic infection that ends in hospitalization.
- Rest the injured foot: That is, stop leaning on it.
- Wash your foot: Although the pain can prevent you from tolerating the cleanliness of the affected area, at first it is necessary to keep the area free of fungi and bacteria to prevent the infection from progressing. Wash the area with water and neutral soap, use a clear antiseptic, and cover the lesion with sterile gauze.
- Remember that you must be vaccinated against tetanus and apply reinforcement every 10 years.
- Avoid walking barefoot or wearing sandals that do not protect your feet or may increase the size of the injury.
- Avoid the use of plastic or elastic shoes as some sports type, because they favor moisture and this, the growth of fungi and bacteria.
- If you cannot cut your nails correctly, avoid doing it again, you could hurt your skin more. Go with a podiatrist, preferably with the education of diabetes educator.
- Dry the sandals you use to bathe in the sun and disinfect the shower to prevent the spread of fungi to your other foot and other people.
- Avoid sharing stockings, flip flops or shoes with other people. This also causes the fungi to get infected.
- Finish the treatment: once you receive the appropriate care for your injury, the treatment ends, you may notice improvement in the first days, however, this type of infections takes time to leave and if you do not finish the treatment, the infection can come back. The treatment can be from a couple of weeks, to months. No matter how long it takes you, but your treatment ends!