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.
Over time, diabetes may cause nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy, that can cause tingling and pain, and can make you lose feeling in your feet. When you lose feeling in your feet, you may not feel a pebble inside your sock or a blister on your foot, which can lead to cuts and sores.
Diabetic foot pain often feels different than other types of foot pain, such as that caused by tendonitis or plantar fasciitis. It tends to be a sharp, shooting pain rather than a dull ache. It can also be accompanied by: Numbness.
Avoid soaking your feet, as this can lead to dry skin. Dry your feet gently, especially between the toes. Moisturize your feet and ankles with lotion or petroleum jelly. Do not put oils or creams between your toes — the extra moisture can lead to infection.
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.
The most common type of diabetes-related neuropathy affects your legs and feet. There is no cure for diabetes-related neuropathy. You can manage nerve pain with medication, exercise and proper nutrition.
Your provider will brush a soft nylon fiber called a monofilament over your foot and toes to test your foot's sensitivity to touch. Tuning fork and visual perception tests (VPT). Your provider will place a tuning fork or other device against your foot and toes to see if you can feel the vibration it produces.
Significant nerve problems (clinical neuropathy) can develop within the first 10 years after a diabetes diagnosis. The risk of developing neuropathy increases the longer you have diabetes. About half of people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy.
Diabetic patients often experience neuropathy in their feet and might wonder if their symptoms are a form of carpal tunnel. In fact, there is a similar condition called tarsal tunnel syndrome. Like carpal tunnel, it mimics symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
Nutritional or vitamin imbalances, alcoholism, and exposure to toxins can damage nerves and cause neuropathy. Vitamin B12 deficiency and excess vitamin B6 are the best-known vitamin-related causes.
Because peripheral artery disease affects the lower extremities, they can sometimes be mistaken for peripheral neuropathy symptoms, and vice versa.
The peripheral nerves have a great ability to heal. Even though it may take months, recovery can occur. However, in some situations, symptoms of neuropathy may lessen but not completely go away. For example, nerve injury caused by radiation often does not recover well.
Walking: This doesn't mean a slow stroll but a more brisk walk to get that heart rate up. It is a simple yet effective exercise for nerve pain. One common question we always get: 'is walking good exercise for neuropathy' ? can be answered pretty simply, yes!
Vicks VapoRub also has other popular off-label uses—and these have more support than use of the product on the feet to improve a cough. Vicks is sometimes used on the feet to relieve neuropathy pain, treat toenail fungus, and soften callouses.
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].
Pain in the bottom of your foot is often caused by exercise, such as running, wearing shoes that are too tight or a condition, such as Morton's neuroma. Some people also have a foot shape that puts extra pressure on the bottom of the foot. Hard or cracked skin or a verruca can also cause this type of pain.
Diabetes Belly Fat is a sign that the body is failing. Stomach fat is linked to Heart failure in the diabetic. Lack of good insulin causes the body to store fat at the waist.
Diabetes are more prone to infection, and fungi and bacteria can transfer from clipping or foot care tools to any open wounds.
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.