People who have just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes might not know that diabetes could affect every body part, even a person’s feet. Some are asking the question, “How can diabetes affect my feet?” Diabetes can affect a person’s feet by causing nerve damage and poor blood flow if a person’s blood sugar gets too high. This can lead to serious foot problems, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Nerve damage can cause loss of feeling in the feet. You may not feel pain, heat, or cold in your legs and feet. You may not feel a pebble inside your sock that is causing a sore that could become infected. You may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes. Damaged nerves may stop sending signals, or they may send signals too slowly or at the wrong times. Nerve damage can also cause pain and lead to foot deformities, or changes in the muscles, bones, and shape of your feet.

There are some common foot problems that diabetics should watch out for. These things include corns, calluses, blisters, ingrown toenails, bunions, plantar warts, hammertoes, dry and cracked skin, athlete’s foot, fungal infection, or Charcot’s foot, a problem in which the joints and soft tissue in your foot are destroyed.

In order to take care of your feet, diabetics should see their doctor at least once a year for a foot exam, or more often if they have foot problems. They should also keep their blood glucose numbers as close to their target as possible. Feet should be checked every day for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, calluses, infected toenails, or other problems. A person could have serious foot problems, even though they feel no pain.

If you believe you may be experiencing the symptoms of Diabetes with your feet, contact Achilles Podiatry for further evaluation and treatment.

Source: Examiner