Diabetes: Checking Your Feet
Diabetes: Checking Your FeetSkip to the navigationTopic OverviewWhen you have
diabetes, you need to examine your feet every day.
Look at all areas of your feet, including your toes. Use a handheld mirror or a
magnifying mirror attached to the bathroom wall near the baseboard to inspect
your feet. If you can't see well, have someone else use this checklist to
examine your feet for you. Using this checklist helps you
remember to examine all areas of your feet. Checklist for daily foot exams| Check your feet for: | What to do if you notice a problem |
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Skin color: | - Redness could point to irritation from
shoes or overheating or other early signs of a problem. Do what you can to
discover the cause and fix it, such as wearing shoes that fit
better.
- Blue or black areas can mean bruising or blood flow
problems. Call your doctor to report them.
| Patches where hair is missing | Bald patches may mean irritation from
shoes or a blood flow problem. Show the areas to your doctor during your next
visit. | Blister | - Try to discover the cause of the blister.
Friction or rubbing against your skin causes blisters. You may need new
shoes.
- Do not break the blister or open it yourself. Leave the skin
over the blister intact.
- Cover the blister with a sterile, nonstick
dressing and paper tape.
- Call your doctor if any blister becomes
red, oozes, or is not healing after 4 days.
| Break in your skin | - Gently wash the area with mild soap; blot
it dry and cover it with a sterile, nonstick dressing.
- Call your
doctor if any break in the skin becomes red, oozes, or is not healing after 4
days.
Note: Examine the underside of
your toes and the area between the toes for breaks in the skin. | Calluses (hardened areas of skin) and corns
(pressure injuries, usually found on or between toes) | Show the area to your doctor at your next
visit. This is very important. - Do not use products sold in drugstores
to remove corns, calluses, or other problems.
- Do not use a pumice stone
on calluses unless your doctor or foot doctor (podiatrist) shows you how to use
it properly.
- Do not cut, file, or do anything that may break the
skin on your feet.
| Peeling skin or tiny blisters between your
toes or cracking and oozing of the skin | This may be
athlete's foot. Treating athlete's foot early can
prevent serious foot infections. See the topic Athlete's Foot for more
information. - To prevent athlete's foot, wear shower
shoes or bathing shoes when you use public showers or pools. Otherwise, keep feet dry.
- Keep feet clean. Wear clean socks every day.
- Do not
treat athlete's foot without first seeing your doctor or podiatrist.
| Moisture between your toes | Dry between your toes well. Moisture between
your toes provides a good place for bacteria and fungi to grow, causing
infection. | Feelings of numbness, burning, or "pins and
needles" | If you have new numbness or tingling in your
feet that does not go away after changing position, call your
doctor. | Sore (ulcer) | Do not try to treat a foot ulcer at home.
Call your doctor immediately. If you check your feet regularly, you usually
will see a problem before it becomes an ulcer. | Ingrown toenail | Do not treat an ingrown toenail at home. Call
your doctor for an appointment. | CreditsByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerDavid C.W. Lau, MD, PhD, FRCPC - Endocrinology Current as ofJune 7, 2017 Current as of:
June 7, 2017 Last modified on: 8 September 2017
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