Diabetes, a disease caused by high levels of sugar in the blood, affects many areas of the body. Patients often notice that various symptoms associated with diabetes first show up in their feet. As an important member of your health care team, our Alexandria VA podiatrist wants you to know how to recognize some of the more common signs that indicate possible disease.
Let our Alexandria VA Podiatrist Know if You Experience Any of the These Foot Conditions
If you are concerned about any new conditions in your feet, call our Alexandria podiatrist for a complete foot screening with one of our knowledgeable foot specialists.
- Tingling or Burning Pain. You might describe the pain in the bottom of your foot as "pins and needles" or "falling asleep."
- Numbness or Loss of Sensation. This condition may start in your toes and then eventually move to the rest of your foot, or across both feet.
- Muscle Weakness. You may notice that you feel wobbly or unstable while standing or walking.
- Slow-Healing Sores. Open cuts, scrapes or blisters on your foot may not heal as quickly as they did before, or not heal at all. Our Alexandria podiatrist warns that you might begin to notice stains on your socks, as a result of open or unhealed wounds.
Why Should You Take These Symptoms Seriously?
Diabetes can cause serious complications, including many foot problems. According to our Alexandria VA podiatrist, high blood sugar damages nerves and affects proper blood flow to the feet. Over time, patients with diabetes may not be able to feel normal foot discomfort from a cut or blister caused by a tight shoe. As a result of this increased lack of pain sensation, a patient may not even be aware of a worsening foot injury or condition. The symptoms of numbness and loss of sensation in the feet can lead to an increased risk of infections, or even more severe complications.
Call The Podiatry Center for More Advice from Our Alexandria VA Podiatrist
Our Alexandria VA podiatrist knows how to manage and treat the foot problems often associated with diabetes. Regular checkups will help to keep your feet at their healthiest. Make The Podiatry Center part of your foot care team today!
The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to podiatry, feel free to contact The Podiatry Center, with a convenient podiatry office near Alexandria, by clicking here or by calling 301.656.6055.
