What part of the foot hurts with diabetes?

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.


Where does diabetic foot pain occur?

Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in the legs and feet. Depending on the affected nerves, diabetic neuropathy symptoms include pain and numbness in the legs, feet and hands. It can also cause problems with the digestive system, urinary tract, blood vessels and heart. Some people have mild symptoms.

What part of the foot is affected by diabetic neuropathy?

Loss of coordination is a common sign of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Often, muscle weakness affects the ankle, which can affect your gait.


What kind of pain do Diabetics have in their feet?

The nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of feeling in your feet. If you can't feel pain, you may not know when you have a cut, blister, or ulcer (open sore) on your foot. A wound like that could get infected.

How do you check for diabetic feet?

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.


Foot Health and Diabetes



What are the first signs of diabetes in feet?

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.

What are the signs and symptoms of diabetic foot?

Signs of Diabetic Foot Problems
  • Changes in skin color.
  • Changes in skin temperature.
  • Swelling in the foot or ankle.
  • Pain in the legs.
  • Open sores on the feet that are slow to heal or are draining.
  • Ingrown toenails or toenails infected with fungus.
  • Corns or calluses.
  • Dry cracks in the skin, especially around the heel.


What are the 5 main symptoms of diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetic Polyneuropathy
  • Unusual sensations (paresthesias) such as tingling, burning or prickling.
  • Numbness and pain in the hands, legs and feet.
  • Weakness of the muscles in the feet and hands.
  • Sharp pains or cramps.
  • Extreme sensitivity to touch.
  • Insensitivity to pain or temperature changes.


What are 3 things you should never do to the feet of someone with diabetes?

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.

How do I get rid of diabetic foot pain?

Over-the-counter or prescription pain medication may be used to treat and relieve diabetic foot pain. Some examples are ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen.

What does foot pain from diabetes feel like?

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.


Where does neuropathy start in feet?

Neuropathy of the foot, also known as peripheral neuropathy (PN), is a condition that affects the nerves in the lower leg that affect the foot and provide sensation and movement of the foot. When the nerves are damaged, they do not function properly.

How do you test for foot neuropathy?

Confirming if you have a neuropathy

a nerve conduction test (NCS), where small metal wires called electrodes are placed on your skin that release tiny electric shocks to stimulate your nerves; the speed and strength of the nerve signal is measured.

Is walking good for diabetic foot pain?

Walking exercise can decrease both hyperglycemia-induced damage to nerve cells and neuronal ischemia caused by impaired neurovascular flow in diabetes9,10. However, the effects of walking exercise on diabetic neuropathic symptoms are known to vary according to intensity11.


Does foot pain mean diabetes?

Foot pain is a common symptom of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar can damage small blood vessels, slow the healing of foot problems like ulcers or cuts, and lead to nerve damage. Diabetes can also cause a rare condition called Charcot foot, which can change the shape of your foot.

Does diabetic foot go away?

Diabetic foot infections are a frequent clinical problem. About 50% of patients with diabetic foot infections who have foot amputations die within five years. Properly managed most can be cured, but many patients needlessly undergo amputations because of improper diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

How do you feel when sugar level is high?

Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) means there is too much sugar in the blood because the body lacks enough insulin. Associated with diabetes, hyperglycemia can cause vomiting, excessive hunger and thirst, rapid heartbeat, vision problems and other symptoms. Untreated hyperglycemia can lead to serious health problems.


What do diabetic toenails look like?

In some people with diabetes, the nails take on a yellowish hue. Often this coloring has to do with the breakdown of sugar and its effect on the collagen in nails. This kind of yellowing isn't harmful. It doesn't need to be treated.

Can a diabetic foot Be Saved?

An infected diabetic foot with good blood supply would respond to debridement [32]. In neuropathic foot, severe infection is treated with intra-venous antibiotics in hospital and, antiseptics and dressings for ulcers. Necrotic tissue is removed and conservative digital amputations or filleting is sufficient.

What is the first sensation of diabetes neuropathy?

The first clinical sign that usually develops in diabetic symmetrical sensorimotor polyneuropathy is decrease or loss of vibratory and pinprick sensation over the toes.


What can be mistaken for diabetic neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common, impacting 7 in 10 diabetics, among others. PN is often mistaken for another common illness, multiple sclerosis (MS).

Will diabetic nerve pain go away?

Although there is no cure for diabetic neuropathy, use of these treatments can improve painful symptoms and prevent complications. (See "Management of diabetic neuropathy".) Control blood sugar levels — An important treatment for diabetic neuropathy is to control blood sugar levels.

What are some common foot problems with diabetes?

Many people with diabetes have peripheral artery disease (PAD), which reduces blood flow to the feet. Also, many people with diabetes have neuropathy, causing you to not feel your feet. Together, these problems make it easy to get ulcers and infections that may lead to amputation.


How do I know if my foot pain is neuropathy?

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy
  1. numbness and tingling in the feet or hands.
  2. burning, stabbing or shooting pain in affected areas.
  3. loss of balance and co-ordination.
  4. muscle weakness, especially in the feet.


Does walking help neuropathy in feet?

Regular exercise, such as walking three times a week, can reduce neuropathy pain, improve muscle strength and help control blood sugar levels. Gentle routines such as yoga and tai chi might also help.
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