A recent study from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 30.3 million Americans have diabetes, while another 84.1 million have prediabetes (which will lead to type 2 diabetes if left untreated).1 Fortunately, with the help of early intervention tools and healthy lifestyle changes, those diagnosed can carry out relatively normal lives and help prevent serious complications, such as vision loss, nerve damage, and painful foot and heel issues from occurring.2 Under the supervision of your physician, you can create a self-care plan which may include:

  1. Measurement: Regularly monitoring blood sugar to ensure levels are within the target range is an important part of managing your diabetes.3
  2. Clinical assessment tools for early detection: AliMed’s monofilaments are one of the most effective testing tools for early detection of sensory loss or neuropathy in diabetic patients and are disposable for single-patient-use and infection control. The Diabetic Neuropathy Device™ is a handheld digital diagnostic tool that allows medical professionals to detect and measure peripheral neuropathy and identify the risks for complications in a three-minute comprehensive foot exam. Baseline® tuning forks enable medical professionals to evaluate hearing and vibratory sensation to assess any hearing loss.
  3. Exercise and weight management: Knowing what type of food and what combinations of foods you can eat, combined with physical activity, is another important part of properly managing your diabetes. Understanding how diet and exercise affect your blood sugar levels is key to maintaining your levels.4
  4. Proper wound care: Wounds heal faster if they are kept warm and moist.5Dressings should be changed quickly to avoid exposing a wound to the open air which can drop its temperature and may slow healing. Wound dressings such as ALGIDEX™ Ag Silver Alginate help create and maintain an optimal moist environment and provide both immediate and sustained antimicrobial protection.
  5. Heel protection and foot care: Foot issues, including sores that don’t heal and ulcers, are a common complication of diabetic neuropathy.6 To help prevent sores from developing keep feet clean and dry and wear cushioned shoes that fit well. Specialty socks and inserts help reduce friction, abrasion, and shear forces. They also help prevent callus formation and improve circulation.
  6. Eye care: Vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy is sometimes irreversible; however, early detection and treatment can reduce the risk of blindness by 95%. People with diabetes or at risk of developing the disease should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. People with diabetic retinopathy may need eye exams more frequently.7

The most important step a diabetic patient can take is to see his or her doctor on a regular basis. Early diagnosis and treatment of any health condition provide the best chance for controlling and preventing future complications. To learn more about AliMed and our products to help manage diabetes, click here.

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RESOURCES

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html
  2. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/blood-sugar-complications#1
  3. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/symptoms
  4. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/symptoms
  5. https://www.apma.org/Patients/FootHealth.cfm?ItemNumber=981
  6. https://www.apma.org/Patients/FootHealth.cfm?ItemNumber=981
  7. https://nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy