Diabetes can cause various problems throughout your body. Your feet are particularly susceptible to injury. One in five people suffering from diabetes enters the hospital due to foot injuries. Diabetes causes a nerve disease called neuropathy making you unable to feel a scratch, cut or any other break in the skin. Your feet can become numb making you unable to feel any injury that may occur. If you don’t know you have an injury, it can become infected without your knowledge.
Calluses are dangerous to people with diabetes. Without proper treatment they can become thick and break down into ulcers. It takes much longer to heal a wound when you are a diabetic.
Ulcers usually start on the ball of the foot or by the big toe. Ulcers not taken care of can result in an amputation of the limb. Make sure your feet are checked often by a doctor.
Poor circulation can result in wounds that won’t heal or heal slowly. This can also affect your legs making it harder to walk.
Talk to your doctor about any unusual color or odor, if your legs feel hot you could have a blood clot, any swelling in feet or legs, any broken skin, wounds that have not healed and pain when resting or walking. Don’t be afraid to bring up any issues that bother you about your feet or any other part of your body. You could avoid major problems by taking care of minor ones. Amputation is not reversible.
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