If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are too high. Over time, this can damage your nerves or blood vessels. Nerve damage from diabetes can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. You may not feel a cut, a blister or a sore. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers and infections. Serious cases may even lead to amputation. Damage to the blood vessels can also mean that your feet do not get enough blood and oxygen. It is harder for your foot to heal, if you do get a sore or infection.
You can help avoid foot problems. First, control your blood sugar levels. Good foot hygiene is also crucial.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Diabetes - Foot Care(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/diabetesfootcare/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/diabetesfootcarespanish/htm/index.htm
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Diabetes: Foot Care(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/diabetes/living/352.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/diabetes/living/352.printerview.html
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Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/Feet/Feet_overview.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/Feet/Feet_overview_Hisp.htm
- Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) - http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/diabetic-amputations.htm
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Total Contact Cast: What It Is and Why It's Used(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/diabetes/treatment/173.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/diabetes/treatment/173.printerview.html
- Diabetes Care: 10 Ways to Avoid Diabetes Complications(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes-management/DA00008/METHOD=print
- Diabetic Foot and Risk: How to Prevent Losing Your Leg(American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) - http://www.aofas.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/cms/review.html?Action=CMS_Document&DocID=40
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Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Feet and Skin Healthy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_feet/
Also available in Spanish http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/complications_feet/index.htm
- Diabetic Wound Care: What Is a Diabetic Foot Ulcer?(American Podiatric Medical Association) - http://www.apma.org/s_apma/doc.asp?CID=394&DID=9394
- Foot Care When Traveling (for People with Diabetes)(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/diabetes_mellitus/hic_foot_care_when_traveling_for_people_with_diabetes.aspx
- Warning for Regranex - Cream for Leg and Foot Ulcers(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/regranexcream061108.html
- Diabetic Ulcer (Neurogenic Ulcer)(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/neurogenicUlcerDiabeticUlcer.htm
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Diabetes - Foot Care(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/diabetesfootcare/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/diabetesfootcarespanish/htm/index.htm
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Regenerative Tissue Matrix Used to Repair Challenging Diabetic Foot Ulcers(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 10/13/2005 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=206
Also available in Spanish http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-spanish/wrm_1461/rnh_sp.cfm
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetic Foot(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Diabetic+Foot%22
- Foot Care(American Diabetes Association) - Current medical research reports - http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-research/summaries/footcare.jsp
- Article: Diabetic foot ulcer: assessment and management. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18705256&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Diabetic foot infection. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18649613&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Diagnostic accuracy of the physical examination and imaging tests for... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18611152&tool=MedlinePlus
- Diabetic Foot -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=diabetic+foot[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+review[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Diabetes Dictionary(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/dictionary/
Also available in Spanish http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/dictionary/index.htm
- Directory of Diabetes Organizations(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/resources/organizations.htm
- American Diabetes Association - http://www.diabetes.org/
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
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Diabetes: Startling Statistics(American Podiatric Medical Association) - http://www.apma.org/s_apma/doc.asp?CID=394&DID=9392
Also available in Spanish http://www.apma.org/s_apma/doc.asp?CID=374&DID=9241
- Diabetes - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetes.html
- Diabetes Complications - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetescomplications.html
- Diabetic Nerve Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticnerveproblems.html
- Foot Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foothealth.html
- Foot Injuries and Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/footinjuriesanddisorders.html
- Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Diabetic Foot is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
Diabetic Foot - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/diabeticfoot.html