Diabetic Foot Care A Guide for Patients and Healthcare Professionals

by Hanson, Erik; Moeller, Roy

• ISBN13: 9781578263868
• ISBN10: 1578263867
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-06-28
• Publisher: Hatherleigh Press

Summary

A Comprehensive Guide to Foot Care for Diabetes Patients and Their Caregivers People with diabetes often experience a myriad of complications, but some of the most devastating troubles occur in the feet. Maintaining proper foot care is crucial to ensuring optimal foot health and avoiding more serious problems such as hospitalization, chronic wound care, and amputation. Whether you have diabetes or are caring for someone with this disease, Diabetic Foot Care provides everything you need to know to keep feet strong and healthy while living with diabetes. In addition to a basic overview of diabetes and common foot problems related to diabetes, Diabetic Foot Care also includes: " Basic care for feet's skin and nails " Tips on the best shoes and socks for a comfortable fit " Safe exercise and diet tips to promote foot health " Guide to finding and seeing a doctor " Overview of medications for specific foot problems

Author Biography

Erik Hanson works at the Alzheimer's Research Center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he does technical writing and has done experimental work on neuroscience. During his work at Regions Hospital, Erik has written on Alzheimer's disease (sometimes termed type III diabetes because nerve cells in the brain are unable to readily use glucose) and the effects of deferoxamine as a neuroprotective treatment. Erik lives in the Minneapolis area. Roy Moeller received his DPM from the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He did his podiatric surgical residency in southwest Minnesota based out of the Windom Area Hospital. He has been a podiatrist in private practice since 1986, serving the western suburbs of the Twin Cities with offices in Chanhassen and Edina.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. vii
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?	p. 1
The Role of the Pancreas and the Liver	p. 1
Age, Weight, and Inflammation	p. 2
Changes in Blood Vessels, Hormones, and Nerves	p. 2
Types of Foot Problems Linked to Diabetes	p. 5
Nerve and Blood Flow Problems	p. 5
Calluses and Other Problems with Skin or Nails	p. 7
Changes in the Bones and Joints of the Feet	p. 8
Ulcers and Infections	p. 9
Basic Care for Your Feet's Skin, Nails, Shoes, and Socks	p. 11
Maintaining Your Skin and Nails	p. 11
Specialized Shoes and Types of Socks	p. 12
Customized and Non-Customized Shoe Inserts	p. 13
Exercising Safely and Managing Your Diet for Your Feet	p. 15
Walking and Other Forms of Exercise	p. 15
Following a Healthy Diet	p. 20
Avoiding Problems with Dietary Supplements	p. 21
Seeing and Finding a Doctor	p. 25
Seeing a Podiatrist	p. 25
Getting Referrals to Other Doctors	p. 26
Getting Follow-Up Help with Self-Management	p. 26
Problems in Your Feet with Nerves, Blood Flow, and Bones	p. 29
Keeping Track of Your Symptoms	p. 29
Diagnosing and Recognizing Blood Flow Problems	p. 30
Diagnosing and Recognizing Nerve Problems	p. 32
Charcot Foot Disease, Osteomyelitis, and Other Bone Problems	p. 34
Managing Foot Pain with Medications	p. 37
Tricyclic Antidepressants and Newer Antidepressants for Pain Relief	p. 37
Anticonvulsants and Anesthetics for Pain Relief	p. 40
Considering Opiates for Pain Relief	p. 40
Combinations and Other Medications	p. 41
Understanding Medications for Specific Foot Problems	p. 43
Medications for Improving Blood Flow	p. 43
Treating Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure	p. 45
Blood Sugar Control in Relation to the Feet	p. 47
Treating and Preventing Foot Ulcers and Infections	p. 49
When Is a Foot Wound An Ulcer?	p. 49
Types of Ulcers	p. 49
Devices That Take Pressure Off Ulcers or Calluses	p. 51
Diagnosing and Treating Osteomyelitis and Other Infections	p. 52
Procedures for Treating and Preventing Foot Ulcers	p. 54
Surgical Treatments for Foot Problems	p. 57
Procedures for Restoring Blood Flow	p. 57
Surgeries for Correcting Bone Deformities	p. 60
Surgeries for Charcot Foot Disease and Osteomyelitis	p. 62
Looking Forward to New Approaches and Advances	p. 63
Artificial Skin Substitutes and Stem Cells	p. 63
Growth Factors	p. 64
New Medications, Procedures, and Prevention Strategies	p. 64
Bibliography	p. 67
Resources	p. 79
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.