Sugar Turned On Me

It’s neat when I find out something I am already doing is good for helping with diabetes. It’s even better when I find out it’s something I enjoy, such as going to a spa.

For example, in preparation for going out of town, I got a pedicure this past weekend. I’m going to be wearing a pair of boots that I don’t take out of the closet very often and the extra space near the toes (and reducing the risk of scraping my wife’s calves when we sleep) seemed like a good idea. While I was there, I talked to the nail technician about a numb spot on the outsides of my big toes.

I was sure that the numbness was just callouses or something. Since diabetics are prone to peripheral neuropathy (loss of feeling in the peripheral nervous system) I figured it’s something I should pay close attention to. I realize that peripheral neuropathy is something that is more likely to affect people with more advanced diabetes than myself, but it is still enough of a concern for me that I felt I should not ignore it.

My nail technician was very good. She pointed out I had impacted skin under the nails of those toes which was the likely cause of the numb spots. She then proceeded to dig out said impacted skin, a process which involved a brief but intense bit of pain. She told me she has more than one diabetic client and she recommended that I get treatments every 5-6 weeks.

The reason that pedicures are good for diabetics is that advanced diabetics can have difficulty fighting infection. If you can’t feel your toes well, due to peripheral neuropathy, then you might not notice an infection in your nail bed due to impacted skin or an ingrown toenail. Unchecked, this could spread to other parts of your body and turn into a serious illness, possibly even a fatal one. Pedicures bring attention to that part of the body and a good nail tech can help prevent infections there by just doing what they do.

The caveat I’d throw in here is that not all nail technicians are equal and neither are all spas. If you were to look into to getting regular pedicures, you’d want to make sure that the spa cleans its tools and tubs after every client because otherwise, you increase your risk of getting infection. Also, all states in the US now license nail technicians, so you want to make sure that a spa displays their certifications or at the very least will verify that they are certified. You should also talk to your nail tech about being diabetic and what your concerns are; a professional will listen and talk to you about what they can do and what they recommend.

Some spas won’t do the treatment if you’re diabetic, mostly because they are aware of increased risk of infections and don’t want to accept the liability. While this is unfortunate, it may still be best to be up front with the person you’re working with. And as with anything that might affect your health, talk to a doctor and get their opinion if you have any doubts at all.

Me, I’ll have a standing appointment for as long as they’ll let me. And next time, it shouldn’t hurt so much. I hope.

Further Reading:
A discussion on how to prepare for a pedicure and what to ask and not ask for.
An ariticle on what to look for in a spa.

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