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Diabetes Foot Care Checklist: The Daily Routine That Comes Before Any Supplement
If you have diabetes, check both feet every day, even when they feel fine, and get a full foot exam at least once a year (CDC, Diabetes and your feet). Wear shoes and socks, keep feet clean and dry, and call your doctor about any sore that does not heal. Supplements come after these basics. Neuralisse is not a diabetes or neuropathy treatment.
Written by the Goneuralisse editorial teamUpdated · 8 min read
Why it matters
Why does diabetes put your feet at risk?
About half of all people with diabetes have some kind of nerve damage, says the CDC (CDC, Diabetes and your feet). Numb feet can hide a cut, blister or burn until it turns into an infection.
High blood sugar over years can harm nerves and blood flow in the legs. NIDDK says up to one-half of people with diabetes have peripheral neuropathy (NIDDK, Diabetic peripheral neuropathy). When feet lose feeling, small injuries go unnoticed. Poor blood flow then makes them slow to heal.
The good news is that simple habits catch most problems early. Keeping blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol near your goals can also keep nerve damage from getting worse (NIDDK, Diabetic peripheral neuropathy).
Every day
How do you do a daily diabetes foot check?
Look at both feet every day, including the soles and between the toes. The CDC says to do it even if your feet feel fine (CDC, Diabetes and your feet).
Pick a set time
Bedtime works for many people, after shoes and socks come off. Tie it to brushing your teeth so you do not skip it.
Use good light
Sit down in a bright spot. If you cannot see the soles, use a hand mirror or ask a family member.
Look for changes
Check for cuts, blisters, red spots, swelling, calluses, cracked skin and changes in toenails.
Feel for warmth
Touch each foot with the back of your hand. One spot warmer than the rest can mean swelling or infection.
Write down anything new
A quick note or phone photo helps you see if a spot is getting better or worse.
Your day
Where does a foot check fit in a daily routine?
An evening foot check fits easily after the day's walking is done. The dial shows one simple day, with a capsule at breakfast and the foot check before bed.
- Breakfast, about 8:00
Take 1 capsule with food and water. The label gives no time; a meal helps CoQ10 absorb.
- The next 2 hours
Keep osteoporosis drugs and tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics away from magnesium by at least 2 hours.
- Evening foot check
Look at both feet every day, even if they feel fine. A yearly foot exam matters more than any capsule.
- Night, 7+ hours
Sleep, movement and steady blood sugar do more for nerves than a supplement can.
Timing is a suggestion; the label only says one capsule daily. Medicine spacing (ODS, Magnesium (HP)); CoQ10 with food (LPI, CoQ10); daily foot checks (CDC, Diabetes and your feet).
The routine dial is a sample. Your doctor's plan for blood sugar checks and medicines comes first.
Checklist
What should a diabetes foot care checklist include?
A good checklist covers daily, weekly and yearly tasks. Print it or copy it to your phone.
| When | Task | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Check tops, soles, heels and between toes | ☐ |
| Daily | Wash in warm, not hot, water and dry well, mostly between toes | ☐ |
| Daily | Moisturize tops and soles, but not between toes | ☐ |
| Daily | Shake out shoes and feel inside before putting them on | ☐ |
| Weekly | Trim toenails straight across and file sharp edges | ☐ |
| Each visit | Take off shoes and socks so your provider can look | ☐ |
| Yearly | Complete foot exam, including a feeling test | ☐ |
Shoes and socks
What shoes and socks are best for diabetic feet?
Wear shoes and socks at all times, indoors too. Bare feet are easy to cut, and numb feet may not feel it.
- Choose closed shoes with room for your toes and soft insides
- Break in new shoes slowly, an hour or two at a time
- Pick clean, dry socks without tight elastic tops or thick seams
- Change socks if they get damp from sweat
- Skip heating pads and hot water bottles on numb feet
Ask your foot doctor if special shoes or inserts would help. Some people with diabetes qualify for them through insurance.
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When should a foot problem be checked by a doctor?
Call your doctor the same day for any foot wound that does not start healing within a few days. Do not wait for it to hurt.
Call right away for redness, warmth, swelling, pus, a bad smell, skin turning dark, or a fever with a foot sore. New or worsening numbness, tingling, burning, weakness or balance problems also need a doctor, fast if they come on suddenly.
Ingrown toenails, corns and calluses are best handled by a foot doctor. Cutting them at home can open the skin.
Supplements
Can a supplement replace diabetes foot care?
No. Daily checks, good shoes, blood sugar control and a yearly exam come first. A supplement cannot do any of those jobs.
Neuralisse is a dietary supplement labeled "Nerve Support Formula." It is not a diabetes or neuropathy treatment, and its label says it is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease. Learn more about nerve problems in the nerve health guide.
Alpha lipoic acid can lower blood sugar, so people on insulin or diabetes pills should watch their levels closely (LPI, Lipoic acid). MSKCC advises people with diabetes to avoid butcher's broom after a reported case of ketoacidosis (MSKCC, Butcher's broom). Ask your doctor before trying Neuralisse.
The who it's for page has a short checklist on age, pregnancy and medicines.
Takeaway
What is the most important foot care habit?
Looking at your feet every day. It takes two minutes and catches problems while they are small. Pair it with a yearly exam and steady blood sugar control.
FAQ
Diabetes foot care FAQ
How often should diabetics check their feet?
Every day. The CDC says people with diabetes should check their feet daily, even when they feel fine. Look at the tops, soles, heels and between the toes for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling or nail changes. Use a mirror or ask someone to help if you cannot see the bottoms.
How often should a person with diabetes see a foot doctor?
At least once a year for a complete foot exam, per CDC and NIDDK advice. The exam checks feeling, blood flow, skin and nails. People who already have nerve damage, a past ulcer or foot shape changes may need visits more often, so ask your care team.
Should diabetics walk barefoot at home?
No. Wear shoes and socks at all times, including indoors. Nerve damage can keep you from feeling a cut, splinter or burn on a bare foot. Shake out your shoes before wearing them, and choose closed shoes with soft insides and room for your toes.
What are the warning signs of a diabetic foot infection?
Watch for redness, warmth, swelling, pus, a bad smell, dark skin or a fever along with a foot sore. Any wound that is not healing within a few days needs a call to your doctor the same day. Do not wait for pain, because numb feet may not hurt.
Can Neuralisse help diabetic neuropathy?
No. Neuralisse is a dietary supplement, not a treatment for diabetic neuropathy or diabetes. Its alpha lipoic acid can lower blood sugar, and MSKCC advises people with diabetes to avoid butcher's broom. Talk to your doctor before taking it, and keep up daily foot checks and yearly exams.
What socks are best for people with diabetes?
Clean, dry socks without tight elastic tops or thick seams are a good choice. Change them if they get damp from sweat. Avoid socks that leave deep marks on your legs. Your foot doctor can tell you whether padded or special diabetic socks would help your feet.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
A small team that reads the bottle label line by line, checks every number against public health sources (NIH, NCCIH, MSKCC, FDA, FTC, CDC) and rewrites it in plain English. We do not write for the manufacturer, and we update a page whenever the label, the prices or the evidence changes.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. authorized merchant, not by the manufacturer. This site is paid a commission when you buy through its order links.
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