In diabetes people often have problems with their feet that develop due to prolonged periods of high blood sugar level or hyperglycemia. Diabetic feet are a dangerous problem and may lead to a serious damage or surgery.

 

How Does Diabetes Cause Foot Problems?

Diabetes cause foot problems via two different ways-

Prolonged uncontrolled or high blood glucose level cause nerve damage, called Diabetic Neuropathy, that cause numbness, tingling, pain or a loss of feeling in feet. Due to loss of feeling in feet person cannot be able to know about any kind of wounds. These wounds could get infected and worse.

Diabetes can also affect the blood flow to feet, it reduces or lowers the blood flow which badly affect the healing process of any wound in feet. These untreated and bad feet infections might lead to gangrene. If gangrene cannot be better with normal treatment, then a person should undergo amputation (removal of limb by surgery).

 

Who Are at High Risk?

People with below mentioned problems are at high risk to develop diabetic feet-

Already nerve damage or poor blood flow in feet

Problem in managing normal blood glucose level

Diabetes for a longer period of time

High blood pressure and high cholesterol.

 

Symptoms:

Loss of feeling

Numbness or tingling sensation

Dark skin on affected area

Red streaks.

 

How To Protect or Maintain Healthy Feet in Diabetes?

Most importantly maintain a normal glucose level, no precaution is better than this. Apart from maintaining blood glucose level-

Check feet everyday for any kind of wounds

Clean feet properly everyday

Protect feet from heat and cold

Wear well fitted socks and shoes

Massage feet for better blood flow

Consult physician in every 2-3 months.

 

Refferences:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317504#symptoms

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21510-diabetic-feet

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/foot-problems

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/foot-problems