Your feet are abused daily and most people take them for granted until a real issue arises. Common problems include dryness, redness and cracking which can be attributed to improper care maintenance. If you have diabetes, it is very important you keep on top of any foot issues. Diabetes affects nerve endings in your feet which minimize the body’s ability to determine damage and pain. If issues go unchecked or untreated, severe complications can occur due to infection.

Some common foot ailments that appear on the foot are:

1. Calluses - A callus is typically hard skin tissue that has built up over time. The areas most likely to have calluses are on the soles of the feet. Usually, a callus occurs when shoes are do not fit well and weight is not distributed evenly across the foot. If you have calluses, the best course of action is to rub down the extra tissue with a pumice stone after you bathe. Do not try to cut the skin away from the foot as an infection may occur.

2. Corns - Corns are similar to calluses except they appear near bony areas around the toes. Corns appear as a result of extended pressure between or around the toe due to improper shoe wear. As with the typical callus, corns can be removed by rubbing them down with a pumice stone after bathing.

3. Bunions - Bunions are areas of the big toe that become red and sensitive because they are pushed toward the inside toe. Usually this is the result of wearing high heeled shoes if you have narrow toes. Common padding can be used to help relief pain, irritation and potential infection, but surgery may be necessary to re-align the toes to their proper positions. Bunions can occur in one or both feet.

In summary, proper sizing of your footwear is important in keeping your feet healthy. If you are dealing with diabetes, it is very important to deal with minor issues before they become out of control and infectious. Infections can lead to real issues, especially if diabetes is part of the equation. Diabetes can interfere with the body’s ability to fight infection which could lead to real problems.

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