If You Have These 9 Symptoms in Your Feet, Here’s What They May Mean
Your feet can sometimes provide clues about nerve or circulation problems, but foot symptoms alone cannot diagnose diabetes or another disease.
9 Symptoms to Pay Attention To
- Numbness or reduced feeling
- Tingling or pins-and-needles
- Burning or unusual pain
- Extreme sensitivity to touch
- Muscle weakness or difficulty walking
- Cuts or sores that heal slowly
- Repeated infections or blisters
- Changes in foot color or temperature
- Calf pain or cramping when walking that improves with rest
Numbness, tingling, and burning can occur with peripheral neuropathy, while pain or cramping during walking can be a sign of reduced blood flow, such as peripheral artery disease.
When Should You Get Checked?
Don’t ignore a new sore, swelling, redness, major color change, loss of sensation, or persistent pain. People with diabetes should check their feet regularly because injuries may go unnoticed and can become serious.
Important: These symptoms don’t necessarily mean you have diabetes. They can have many different causes, so a healthcare professional should determine the reason.
