Your Feet Are a “Blood Sugar Meter”? 12 Foot Symptoms You Should Know
Your feet can sometimes reveal complications associated with diabetes, but they aren’t actually a blood-sugar meter. Foot symptoms cannot diagnose diabetes, and many can have other causes. Diabetes itself is diagnosed with blood tests.
High blood sugar over time can damage nerves and blood vessels, particularly in the feet.
12 Signs Worth Paying Attention To
- Tingling or “pins and needles”
- Burning sensations
- Numbness or reduced feeling
- Foot pain or unusual sensitivity
- Difficulty sensing heat or cold
- Weakness in the feet or legs
- Dry, cracked skin
- Cuts, blisters, or sores that heal slowly
- Repeated foot infections
- Changes in foot color or temperature
- Loss of hair on the toes or lower legs
- Thickened or yellow toenails
Why Does Diabetes Affect the Feet?
Diabetic nerve damage can cause numbness, tingling, burning, or pain. When sensation is reduced, a person may not notice a small cut or blister. Reduced blood flow can also make wounds harder to heal and increase the risk of infection.
Don’t Assume It’s Diabetes
These symptoms can also occur with circulation problems, nerve disorders, infections, footwear-related injuries, nutritional deficiencies, and other conditions.
If you’re concerned about diabetes, ask a healthcare professional about appropriate blood-glucose testing rather than trying to diagnose yourself from your feet.
When to Get Medical Attention
If you have diabetes, contact your doctor promptly about a new sore, ulcer, infection, significant color or temperature change, or loss of sensation. Check your feet every day, even if they feel normal.
