Who Gets Charcots Foot
Charcots foot is most commonly seen in diabetic patients, but it can also be caused by other factors. These include injuries to the nerves or blood vessels of the lower legs and untreated high blood pressure which results in poor circulation.
The condition mostly affects people who have had diabetes for a while , although it can occur earlier.
What Are The Symptoms Of Neuropathy
Symptoms of neuropathy vary depending on the type and location of the nerves involved. Symptoms can appear suddenly, which is called acute neuropathy, or develop slowly over time, called chronic neuropathy.
Common signs and symptoms of neuropathy include:
- Tingling or numbness, especially in the hands and feet. Sensations can spread to the arms and legs.
- Sharp, burning, throbbing, stabbing or electric-like pain.
- Changes in sensation. Severe pain, especially at night. Inability to feel pain, pressure, temperature or touch. Extreme sensitivity to touch.
- Falling, loss of coordination.
- Not being able to feel things in your feet and hands feeling like youre wearing socks or gloves when youre not.
- Muscle weakness, difficulty walking or moving your arms or legs.
- Weight loss .
Diagnosis Of Diabetic Foot
To diagnose diabetic foot, the experts will:
- Ask if you are able to manage your blood sugar levels
- Ask about the symptoms the patient is facing
- Examine the affected area
- Check for the sensation or the feel of touch using different tools
In case the patient has reached the extent of diabetic ulcer or blister, the doctor will:
- Look for the signs such as redness, swelling, warmth, and skin discoloration, and skin discharge.
- Prescribe some tests like X-ray or MRI, to examine conditions deeper than the skin
- Take a sample of skin discharge to figure out the kind of infection.
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Could You Have Nerve Damage
Anyone with diabetes can develop nerve damage, but these factors increase your risk:
- Blood sugar levels that are hard to manage
- Having diabetes for a long time, especially if your blood sugar is often higher than your target levels
- Being overweight
- Having high cholesterol
Nerve damage, along with poor blood flowanother diabetes complicationputs you at risk for developing a foot ulcer that could get infected and not heal well. If an infection doesnt get better with treatment, your toe, foot, or part of your leg may need to be amputated to prevent the infection from spreading and to save your life.
When you check your feet every day, you can catch problems early and get them treated right away. Early treatment greatly reduces your risk of amputation.
Diabetes What To Know
Diabetes is a condition that effects how the body makes use of glucose, the main type of sugar in the bloodstream. The bodys cells break down the food eaten into sugar and other compounds need, and this sugar is then transported to the blood stream through the GI system. Extreme use of the insulin provided by the pancreas can cause a breakdown of this sugar in the cells, leading to high blood glucose levels.
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Diabetic Foot Pain Home Remedies
There are numerous lifestyle changes that you can make and natural supplements or creams that you can take aside from prescription medications to help relieve diabetic foot pain. We will review remedies that you can use to temporarily relieve pain, as well as those that can help you to slowly reverse this pain over time.
Protect Your Feet From Hot And Cold
If you have nerve damage from diabetes, you may burn your feet and not know you did. Take the following steps to protect your feet from heat:
- Wear shoes at the beach and on hot pavement.
- Put sunscreen on the tops of your feet to prevent sunburn.
- Keep your feet away from heaters and open fires.
- Do not put a hot water bottle or heating pad on your feet.
Wear socks in bed if your feet get cold. In the winter, wear lined, waterproof boots to keep your feet warm and dry.
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What Does Diabetic Foot Pain Feel Like
Diabetic foot pain is very painful for people who suffer from diabetics. This is because as mentioned above, diabetes can damage the nerves of the foot and when this happens, there is always a possibility of having blood circulation around the foot impeded. It could lead to the feeling of numbness or burning pain in the foot. This is to say that a lot of people who have diabetic foot pain will likely have stiff joints and may likely bleed since the ability of the blood to clout is decreased.
Therefore, this kind of situation makes it difficult for wounds to heal or in some cases makes it much slower for wounds to heal. It is important to note that the decreasing nerve function on the foot makes the situation very tricky in the sense that there are some people who could have some foot wound without even knowing it. Diabetic foot pains feels like some other severe pains around the body but the difference in this case is that the stakes are higher here due to the complications of diabetes. People who suffer from diabetic foot pain tend to focus more on effectively managing the diabetes problem in general since it is a fall out on diabetics.
Diabetic Neuropathythe Agony Of Da Feet
People tend to think of diabetes as a silent, painless condition. Dont tell that to the millions of folks with diabetes-induced tingling toes or painful feet. This problem, called diabetic neuropathy, can range from merely aggravating to disabling or even life threatening. Its something I have first-hand knowledge about. High blood sugar, the hallmark of diabetes, injures nerves and blood vessels throughout the body. The first nerves to be affected tend to be the smallest ones furthest from the spinal cordthose that stretch to the toes and feet. Diabetic neuropathy affects different people in different ways. I feel it as a tingling in my toes. Moving my feet and wiggling my toes helps the tingling disappear for a while. Others have it much worse. Diabetic neuropathy can cause a constant burning feeling in the feet sharp pain that may be worse at night and extreme sensitivity to touch, making the weight of a sheet unbearable. It can be sneaky, too, and completely rob the feet of their ability to sense pain. The truly scary thing about diabetic neuropathy is a 10-letter word we usually associate with horrific accidents or Civil War battlefieldsamputation. When sensory nerves in the feet become damaged, a blister, cut, or sore can go unnoticed, allowing time for the wound to become infected. Infections that cause tissue to die and that spread to the bone may be impossible to treat with cleansing and antibiotics. Diabetes accounts for about 70,000 loContinue reading > >
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What Problems Does Peripheral Neuropathy Cause
Peripheral neuropathy can cause foot problems that lead to blisters and sores. If peripheral neuropathy causes you to lose feeling in your feet, you may not notice pressure or injuries that lead to blisters and sores. Diabetes can make these wounds difficult to heal and increase the chance of infections. These sores and infections can lead to the loss of a toe, foot, or part of your leg. Finding and treating foot problems early can lower the chances that you will develop serious infections.
This type of diabetes-related nerve damage can also cause changes to the shape of your feet and toes. A rare condition that can occur in some people with diabetes is Charcots foot, a problem in which the bones and tissue in your foot are damaged.
Peripheral neuropathy can make you more likely to lose your balance and fall, which can increase your chance of fractures and other injuries. The chronic pain of peripheral neuropathy can also lead to grief, anxiety, and depression.
Increased Pain At Night
Whether its because you are no longer distracted by the concerns of the day or the hypersensitivity and pain caused by even the sheet touching your feet, diabetic nerve pain is often much worse at night, making sleep impossible.
Because poor sleep and increased pain are bidirectional, one makes the other more intense in a cycle that is hard to break.
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What Is Diabetic Nerve Pain Or Diabetic Neuropathy
Neuropathy is an over-arching term that means nerve pain. There are four types of neuropathy, including:
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Radiculoplexus neuropathy
- Mononeuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy refers to nerve pain that is experienced on the periphery of your body, like the hands and feet. This area is enervated by the peripheral nervous system .
There are many conditions that can result in nerve pain in the farthest reaches of the body, including:
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Certain medications
The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy, though, is poorly controlled diabetes.
The hallmark of diabetes is a nearly constant fluctuation of the blood sugar, with spiky highs and cavernous lows. This constant fluctuation damages the capillary walls responsible for delivering blood to the nerves, especially in the hands and feet. As the capillaries become more damaged, diabetic neuropathy symptoms begin to appear.
Can I Prevent Diabetes
The best way you can prevent diabetes-related foot pain is by managing your diabetes as best as you can. Remember, high sugar levels is what causes the nerve pain. By managing your blood sugar levels through diet, exercise, and medications, youre taking steps to prevent the various complications of diabetes.
If youre already experiencing diabetes-related foot pain, its still important to manage your sugar levels. As we discussed, lowering your blood sugar can actually improve your symptoms. Talk to your doctor to discuss proper foot care and the best treatment options for you.
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Causes Of Diabetic Foot Pain
Foot pain is one of the many complications that patients with diabetes often develop. In addition to making changes to your lifestyle and closely monitoring your blood sugar levels, a critical part of diabetes management is checking your feet regularly.
Check for scrapes, cuts, sores, pain any sign that points to a wound or an infection developing on or around your feet. If you find anything, see your doctor.
In type 2 diabetes, there is a very real danger of losing a limb if you develop an infected wound. Lets talk about why patients with type 2 diabetes often suffer from diabetic foot pain and who you can talk to about maintaining a healthy body despite diabetes.
Diabetic Sores On Leg
Diabetes sores are open wounds that diabetic people get on their legs. Diabetic sores occur when the diabetic person does not have enough blood flow to heal a wound site, which can happen because of nerve damage in diabetics or because they do not check themselves often for cuts and scrapes. These foot ulcers are one of the most common diabetic complications.
The sores need to be in treatment right away because they can lead to infections. This can cause gangrene and ultimately amputation if not caught early enough. Diabetic sores should be cleaned with soap and water as soon as you notice them on your diabetic leg.
Diabetic sores should be treated with antibiotic ointment, bandaged, and elevated to prevent infection. The sores that are not properly cared for can lead to the loss of a limb or even death in severe cases if they get infected.
These foot ulcers are one of the most common diabetic complications because diabetics do not take care of diabetic sores in their legs.
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Diabetic Foot Pain Neuropathy
It is a diabetic complication that can lead to diabetic foot pain. This type of neuropathy occurs when the small nerves in your feet and legs are damaged by elevated glucose levels over time. Consequently, you may lose feeling or have poor sensation along with an inability to properly control leg movements.
In addition, tight muscles can pull on tendons and cause them to thicken, leading to diabetic foot pain. They may not be aware of the discomfort caused by their shoes. This lack of feeling might lead to more injuries, sores, and blisters.
If left uncontrolled, diabetic neuropathy can lead to serious injuries and infections that may require amputation of your feet or legs.
Diabetic Neuropathies are the most common complication associated with diabetes If you experience diabetic foot pain it is important not to delay seeking treatment.
A person who does not get treatment for an infection can develop ulcers, as well as gangrene. If a person has gangrene, they might need to have a limb amputated. A doctor may suggest amputation if a person gets gangrene.
What Are The Symptoms Of Peripheral Neuropathy
If you have peripheral neuropathy, your feet, legs, hands, or arms may feel
- burning
- tingling, like pins and needles
- numb
- painful
- weak
You may feel extreme pain in your feet, legs, hands, and arms, even when they are touched lightly. You may also have problems sensing pain or temperature in these parts of your body.
Symptoms are often worse at night. Most of the time, you will have symptoms on both sides of your body. However, you may have symptoms only on one side.
If you have peripheral neuropathy, you might experience:
- changes in the way you walk
- loss of balance, which could make you fall more often
- loss of muscle tone in your hands and feet
- pain when you walk
- problems sensing movement or position
- swollen feet
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How Does Diabetes Affect The Health Of My Feet
Diabetes-related foot pain is mainly caused by high blood sugar levels. Over time, high levels of sugar in the blood damage both the nerve endings and blood vessels throughout the body. This combination causes nerve pain and poor circulation.
The feet are especially prone to poor circulation because theyre so far away from the heart. Diabetes-related nerve pain can appear in the hands, but most people who experience it feel it in their feet first.
Other factors that can increase your risk of developing diabetes-related foot pain include being overweight, kidney disease, and smoking.
Tips For Healthy Feet
Get to the bottom of any foot problems by using a mirror or asking for help.
Check your feet every day for cuts, redness, swelling, sores, blisters, corns, calluses, or any other change to the skin or nails. Use a mirror if you cant see the bottom of your feet, or ask a family member to help.
Wash your feet every day in warm water. Dont soak your feet. Dry your feet completely and apply lotion to the top and bottombut not between your toes, which could lead to infection.
Never go barefoot. Always wear shoes and socks or slippers, even inside, to avoid injury. Check that there arent any pebbles or other objects inside your shoes and that the lining is smooth.
Wear shoes that fit well. For the best fit, try on new shoes at the end of the day when your feet tend to be largest. Break in your new shoes slowlywear them for an hour or two a day at first until theyre completely comfortable. Always wear socks with your shoes.
Trim your toenails straight across and gently smooth any sharp edges with a nail file. Have your foot doctor trim your toenails if you cant see or reach your feet.
Dont remove corns or calluses yourself, and especially dont use over-the-counter products to remove themthey could burn your skin.
Get your feet checked at every health care visit. Also, visit your foot doctor every year for a complete exam, which will include checking for feeling and blood flow in your feet.
Be sure to ask your doctor what else you can do to keep your feet healthy.
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How To Avoid Diabetic Neuropathy
About one-third to one-half of people with diabetes have some kind of nerve damage, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases .
Anyone with diabetes can get nerve damage at anytime, explains Dr. Bolash. There is an association with very high levels ofblood sugar and the development of diabetic neuropathy, but the two do notalways go hand in hand.
Unfortunately, even patients with very mild cases ofdiabetes may be affected with severe cases of nerve pain, he says, while otherscan be spared. According to the NIDDK, the highest rates of nerve damageare among people who have had diabetes 25 years or longer.
To avoid diabetic neuropathy, Dr. Bolash advises:Control your blood sugar and keep it as close to nondiabeticlevels as possible.
Peripheral Neuropathy Is When Diabetes Causes Damage To Your Nerves Particularly In Your Hands And Feet It Can Affect Different Types Of Nerves In Your Body Including In Your Feet Organs And Muscles
Nerves carry messages between the brain and every part of our bodies so that we can see, hear, feel and move. They also carry signals to parts of the body such as the heart, making it beat at different speeds, and the lungs, so we can breathe.
Damage to the nerves can therefore cause serious problems in various parts of the body for people with type 1, type 2 or other types of diabetes. Common symptoms can include leg pain, muscle weakness or numbness and tingling in your feet or hands.
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When To See A Doctor
Anyone who has diabetes should visit a doctor on a regular basis as part of their treatment. If any of the following changes are present, you should seek immediate medical attention:
- changes in skin color on the foot
- swelling in the foot or ankle
- temperature changes in the feet
- persistent sores on the feet
- pain or tingling in the feet or ankles
- ingrowing toenails