Tingling, burning, or pain in your feet. Loss of sense of touch or ability to feel heat or cold very well. A change in the shape of your feet over time. Loss of hair on your toes, feet, and lower legs.
How does diabetes cause foot problems? Foot problems are common in people with diabetes. They can happen over time when high blood sugar damages the nerves and blood vessels in the feet. The nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of feeling in your feet.
When you have diabetes, high glucose levels in the blood can damage nerves and blood vessels. Because the nerves and blood vessels supplying the feet are so long and delicate, the feet — and especially the toes — often get affected first.
But that doesn't mean abdominal weight gain should be ignored. It can be an early sign of so-called "diabetic belly," a build-up of visceral fat in your abdomen which may be a symptom of type 2 diabetes and can increase your chances of developing other serious medical conditions.
Prediabetes and Nerve Damage
This diabetic neuropathy can lead to numbness, tingling, burning or pain in the extremities such as the feet, toes and hands. Your feet are especially vulnerable to nerve damage as well as blood vessel damage from high blood sugar.
Even though the condition can't be reversed, it's important to seek diabetic neuropathy treatment to prevent the worsening of the nerve damage over time. Because of nerves' important roles in the body, this damage could cause a range of complications if it is not managed.
Diabetic dermopathy
The spots look like red or brown round patches or lines in the skin and are common in people with diabetes. They appear on the front of your legs (your shins) and are often confused with age spots. The spots don't hurt, itch, or open up.
Not having enough blood flowing to your legs and feet can make it hard for a sore or an infection to heal. Sometimes, a bad infection never heals. The infection might lead to gangrene. Gangrene and foot ulcers that do not get better with treatment can lead to an amputation of your toe, foot, or part of your leg.
That's because diabetes often causes poor circulation that leads to numbness in the feet. Numbness makes it less likely that you'll notice cuts, scrapes, and blisters on your feet, and poor circulation means those wounds are less likely to heal properly.
Wear socks in bed if your feet are cold at night. Do not use a hot water bottle or heating pad on your feet. Always check your shoes before you put them on. Look and feel inside them for anything that could cause discomfort or injury, such as pebbles, a torn lining, or rough spots.
If you have nerve damage in your feet, avoid repetitive, weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging, prolonged walking, and step aerobics. Repeated stress on feet that are affected by neuropathy can lead to ulcers, fractures, and joint problems. Choose exercises that do not put stress on your feet, such as: Swimming.
Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes, especially in your feet and toes. A tingling or burning feeling. Sharp, jabbing pain that may be worse at night. Extreme sensitivity to touch — for some people even the weight of a sheet can be painful.
Localized itching is often caused by diabetes. It can be caused by a yeast infection, dry skin, or poor circulation. When poor circulation is the cause of itching, the itchiest areas may be the lower parts of the legs.
Yellow, reddish, or brown patches on your skin
As it progresses, these bumps turn into patches of swollen and hard skin. The patches can be yellow, reddish, or brown. You may also notice: The surrounding skin has a shiny porcelain-like appearance.
Dry, itchy skin: High blood sugar and certain skin conditions can cause dry, itchy skin. If you have poor blood circulation, your lower legs may itch the most. Moisturizers can help. Fungal infections: A yeast called Candida albicans causes most fungal infections in people with diabetes.
Don't soak your feet. Dry your feet completely and apply lotion to the top and bottom—but not between your toes, which could lead to infection. Never go barefoot. Always wear shoes and socks or slippers, even inside, to avoid injury.
On average, a person who develops DFU has a 3–5 year lower survival rate than a counterpart with diabetes, and this effect is in addition to that associated with diabetes itself, for which the reduction in life expectancy is about 6 years [8,9].
These ulcers frequently become infected, with potentially disastrous progression to deeper spaces and tissues. If not treated promptly and appropriately, diabetic foot infections can become incurable or even lead to septic gangrene, which may require foot amputation.
Gastrointestinal symptoms occur commonly in people with diabetes, and include gastro-esophageal reflux, bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea and fecal incontinence.
The symptoms of diabetes include feeling very thirsty, passing more urine than usual, and feeling tired all the time. The symptoms occur because some or all of the glucose stays in your blood and isn't used as fuel for energy. Your body tries to get rid of the excess glucose in your urine.
Nerve damage causes burning, tingling, heaviness or numbness in the feet and affects up to 70 percent of all diabetic patients. Neuropathy can be a rather scary aspect of diabetes because patients may not be able to feel pain. If you can't feel an injury or sore, it could lead to a serious infection.