Diabetic Neuropathy in the Feet

Foot care is one of the most important things to keep an eye on when your diabetic. Of course, the best prevention of diabetic peripheral neuropathy is having the tightest sugar control as possible. However, that's not always the case.

Like every other complication of diabetic peripheral neuropathy isn't something that just develops over night. It's something that is developed over a period of time by uncontrolled sugar levels. Depending on the extremity of your sugar level will determine how quickly or slowly neuropathy will set in. There are different types of neuropathy however peripheral neuropathy effects the feet and legs.

Peripheral Neuropathy is when the nerve endings in your feet become damaged restricting the amount of sensation you are able to feel in your feet. You won't lose all the feeling at once, it usually starts in your toes and heels. Then gradually will carry on through the rest of the foot.

Some of the symptoms of Neuropathy are:

-Burning

-Tingling

-Pins and Needles

-Pain

-Skin becomes extremely dry

Depending on how much damage is done to your feet will depend on how much pain and numbness you will feel.

Once neuropathy sets in you have to be careful because now you don't have as much feeling as you had before. The skin on the bottom of your feet will become dried out because it's dead. Therefore, the skin will start peeling away. You need to watch carefully when removing the skin. You don't want to pull it off, having no feeling can make you pull deeper than you should which can cause bleeding. You just want to cut where the skin stops to avoid problems.

Checking your feet every day will also prevent you from running to more problem. Washing them in warm soapy water will help with your circulation as well as keeping them clean. Then you want to pat them dry and check between everyone of your toes and your heels for any cuts. Putting cream on your feet as well will help with restoring some of the moisture in your feet. Checking your feet everyday is a necessity, cuts are easily missed with neuropathy because of the decrease of feeling. If cuts are left untreated they can become infected and in worse case scenario turn into gangreen which no one wants! That's why always have something on your feet at all times is a good idea. Going outside with no shoes in an extremely bad idea and is asking for problems.

Wearing proper shoes is also a good idea. This will prevent injuries and more pain in the feet, allowing your feet to be more comfortable.

You want to make sure as well that if you're having problems with your sugar level that your in contact with your doctor. They will have the best ideas on how to stay in control of your levels as well as different medications you might be in need of. In some cases if the neuropathy is caught earlier enough and your level are under control may not stay permanent. So make sure you have communicating with you doctor!