Can Diabetes Harm Your Feet?

Can Diabetes Harm Your Feet? 

Diabetes is an autoimmune condition that affects your body’s ability to process and reduce blood sugar or blood glucose. This breakdown in a critical body function has widespread and far-reaching consequences across the body.

Two issues that emerge from diabetes are reduced blood flow to the body’s extremities, and nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy. These two issues can affect any part of the body, but the most sensitive parts are the legs and feet.

So, why are these two factors dangerous, and do they affect everyone who has diabetes?

How Reduced Blood Flow and Nerve Damage Impact the Feet

Reduced blood flow and nerve damage are a two-punch knockout that is the leading cause of amputations and death in diabetics.

Nerve Damage

Diabetes destroys nerves’ protecting coverings, rendering them incapable of efficiently transmitting signals. When this happens, a person with diabetes might get a bruise, cut, or ulcer on the foot and not notice because there is no pain sensation. In such a case, the injury can go unnoticed for so long that it becomes infected and gangrenous.

Reduced Blood Flow

Assuming the injury is identified, and treatment started, reduced blood flow caused by diabetes can slow down healing. In some cases, wounds never heal, and amputation of the toe, foot or a portion of the leg is required to stop the infection from spreading to the rest of the body and save the person’s life.

Does This Happen the Everyone with Diabetes?

The main risk factor for these two conditions is uncontrolled diabetes. When the body cannot naturally control blood sugar levels, it becomes necessary to control these levels actively. In most cases, controlling blood sugar involves taking medication, insulin, or both.

When a diabetic individual does not control their blood sugar, high blood sugar levels start destroying nerves and blood vessels in the body’s extremities, especially the legs and feet.

On the other hand, controlling blood sugar can reduce this damage and promote healthy feet free from these issues.

Nevertheless, podiatrists caution that even though you might be purposefully controlling your blood sugar, foot care is an essential aspect of diabetes management that each individual must adopt.

How to Keep Your Feet Healthy

Your podiatrist will help you develop a diabetes self-care plan that includes the foot-care steps you need to perform regularly.

These steps include:

• Checking your feet daily
• Washing your feet thoroughly daily
• Gently smoothing corns and calluses (never cut them as this can create a wound and lead to infection)
• Trimming your toenails straight across instead of into the corners
• Always wear shoes and socks, especially when outdoors
• Protecting your feet from hot and cold conditions
• Keeping the blood flowing to your feet by propping them up periodically
• Getting a foot check at every health care visit.

Diabetes Can Harm Your Feet, But You Can Avoid It

The best way to beat the symptoms and side effects of diabetes is to manage it and take extra care of your body.

When it comes to your feet, staying extra vigilant as to the possible impact diabetes can have on them can help you identify any issues early and effect a timely intervention with the assistance of your podiatrist.