Sewing At Home and Diabetes: A Dangerous Combo

If you sew at home by hand, you may be leaving the keys to your foot's amputation if you are diabetic.

This statement may sound a bit drastic, but think about it......  Lost and accidentally discarded needles become little missiles that can send explosive bacteria deep into the unprotected foot.  Unfortunately, in my practice, I have seen this numerous times.  Sometimes this results in a simple puncture wound, and other times this injury results in the development of an infection in the deeper space of the foot.  This is especially true if the needle passes into the foot through a dirty sock or the thin sole of a barely-there house slipper.  In most cases, the immediate surgical removal of the needle is probably the best course of treatment to avoid the later development of a nasty infection.  Sometimes this is not always a good option, especially in those with poor circulation or extremely out-of-control blood sugar, and one simply has to have the foot and the needle monitored.  However, in all cases of infection, the needle must go.

Since sewing needles are thin, they are often difficult to see in thick carpet or on floors with busy patterns.  It is imperative that all needles be accounted for when sewing at home, and that the standard practice of always wearing protective footwear, even at home, be followed at all times.  While this may seem inconvenient, it is far less inconvenient for those of you with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy than it would be to strap on a prosthetic limb each day.

Yes, that comparison is drastic, but so is a diabetic foot infection that is completely avoidable.

Until next time,
Scott R. Kilberg DPM

www.inpodiatrygroup.com - foot surgeon, podiatrist in Indianapolis
myachingfoot.blogspot.com -  foot pain explained
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A foot doctor in Indianapolis Noblesville Fishers Carmel Westfield and Fortville Indiana.