
How can diabetes affect the feet?
People with diabetes are prone to foot problems caused by prolonged periods of high blood sugar. There are two main foot problems, each of which can have serious complications.
Diabetes is a disease where the body cannot produce insulin or cannot use it effectively. Insulin is the hormone that is responsible for helping the cells take in sugar to use for energy. When this does not happen properly, the levels of sugar in the blood can become too high.
Prolonged periods of high sugar levels in the blood can wreak havoc on many areas of the body, including the feet.
Diabetic foot problems
The two main foot problems that affect people with diabetes are:
Diabetic neuropathy
Over time, diabetes can cause nerve damage that makes it hard for people with diabetes to feel sensation in their extremities.
The condition also makes it difficult for a person to feel an irritation on their foot or notice when their shoes are rubbing. This lack of sensation and awareness leads to an increase in the risk of cuts, sores, and blisters developing.
Peripheral vascular disease
Diabetes leads to changes in the blood vessels, including arteries. In peripheral vascular disease, fatty deposits block these vessels beyond the brain and heart. It tends to affect the blood vessels leading to and from the extremities, reducing blood flow to the hands and feet.
Reduced blood flow can lead to pain, infection, and slow healing wounds. Severe infections may lead to amputation.
Symptoms
Symptoms may vary from person to person and may depend on what issues a person is experiencing at the time. Symptoms of diabe
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