Problems Diabetics Can Have With Their Feet

When you have diabetes, you will need to get the disease under control to live a relatively normal life, which usually means regular medication and monitoring. Many people suffer from this condition, and it can affect their lives in many ways, depending on its severity. Below are some of the problems people with diabetes can experience and what you can do to keep them under control.

Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a condition that develops when diabetes is left untreated and can damage the nerves in the feet and legs. It can leave the person suffering from the condition without any feeling in their lower limbs. As people cannot feel their feet or legs, they can often get cuts, blisters, or burns to them without noticing them, and these can get infected if left untreated.

Peripheral Vascular Disease

Another common condition that people who have diabetes can develop is peripheral vascular disease. The disease affects the blood flow around the body, and when you suffer from this, your extremities, legs, and arms can have a reduced blood flow. Because less blood and oxygen are flowing in the system, it can make healing from cuts and scratches much harder. Some people will develop ulcers which can get gangrenous if left untreated.

Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is another common condition that people with diabetes can develop, and this is a type of fungus that can cause itching and redness and make the skin on the feet crack. The diabetic foot treatment for this condition is the same for people without the disease, and you can get creams and lotions to help heal the athlete’s foot and prevent infection.

Fungal Nail Infections

It is also common for people with diabetes to develop fungal nail infections that can cause the nail to become discoloured. The nail can become a dark brown or yellow colour, and it can also become thin and brittle. You can also develop this condition from injuring your toe, and although there are treatments available for it, they do not help all types of fungal infections.

Diabetic Ulcers

You can also develop diabetic ulcers on your feet, which are breaks in the skin or a deep sore. These can become infected if left untreated, so you will want to visit your doctor as soon as you notice it. Around 10% of people that have diabetes will suffer from foot ulcers.

If you are one of the 420 million people worldwide who have diabetes, these are some of the conditions you can develop. Take care of your health, check your body regularly, and visit your doctor as soon as you notice anything wrong.