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Managing Diabetes Complications

As you may already know, controlling your blood glucose is important for avoiding hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia—blood glucose lows and highs.

By keeping your blood glucose level in your target range, you may delay or prevent long-term complications. High blood glucose levels can damage many parts of your body, including your eyes, heart and toes. The good news is that you, along with your healthcare professional, may be able to lessen the impact of diabetes complications on your life.

This section list some of the more common diabetes-related complications, their symptoms and treatments, and some steps your healthcare professional may recommend to help reduce your risk.

Foot Problems

feet and hands
Proper foot care should be an important part of a diabetics daily routine. High blood glucose levels can damage the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the legs and feet. This can lead to nerve damage, poor circulation, infections and foot deformities.

Diabetes is often associated with foot problems and amputation. Not including those caused by accidents or trauma, more than 60% of lower-limb amputations performed each year are on people with diabetes.1

What to Look For

The Type 2 Diabetes Guidelines recommends that your feet be examined at least once a year—more often if you have foot problems.2 If you experience any of the following symptoms, see your healthcare professional:3

  • Pain or less sensitivity in the leg or foot
  • Cuts or breaks in the skin
  • Ingrown nails
  • Changes in the shape of your foot
  • Corns or calluses

Healthy Diabetic Foot-Care Habits

By keeping your blood glucose level within the range recommended by your healthcare professional and paying special attention to your feet, you may be able to prevent long-term complications. For healthy toes and feet, follow these simple steps:

  • Wash and dry your feet carefully between the toes.
  • Apply a moisturising cream to dry skin.
  • Check your shoes for foreign objects before you put them on.
  • Keep your toenails short and cut them straight. A correctly cut toenail has the same shape as the end of the toe.
  • See a podiatrist about corns, calluses and ingrown toenails. Do not treat these yourself.
  • Always wear good footwear. Shoes must fit well and be comfortable.
  • Wear socks which are not too tight and avoid socks with seams that may dig into your feet.
  • For people with reduced sensation, never go barefoot, even indoors.

 

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes fact sheet, 2007. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2007.pdf. Accessed November 11, 2008.
2 Diabetes New Zealand. Staying well with Type 2 Diabetes, DNZ November 2007. http://www.diabetes.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/3802/Staying_well_with_Type_2_diabetes_191107.pdf
3 National Institute of Diabetes and digestive and Kidney Diseases. Prevent diabetes problems: keep your feet and skin healthy." Available at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_feet/. Accessed February 20, 2008.

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This website contains information on products which are targeted to a wide range of audiences and could contain product details or information otherwise not accessible or valid in your country. Please be aware that we do not take any responsibility for accessing such information which may not comply with any valid legal process, regulation, registration or usage in the country of your origin. For people with diabetes. Use only as directed. See your healthcare professional for medical advice.