Get Diabetes Foot Screening &amp

Warning Signs of Diabetic Foot Problems Increase swelling of legs or feet. Change of skin color. Burning or tingling sensation. Lack of feeling in the feet. Numbness in the toes. Ingrown toenails. Slow to heal sores. Cracks between toes.

But daily care is one of the best ways to prevent foot complications. About half of all people with diabetes have some kind of nerve damage. You can have nerve damage in any part of your body, but nerves in your feet and legs are most often affected. Nerve damage can cause you to lose feeling in your feet.

A diabetic foot exam checks people with diabetes for these problems, which include infection, injury, and bone abnormalities. Nerve damage, known as neuropathy, and poor circulation (blood flow) are the most common causes of diabetic foot problems. Neuropathy can make your feet feel numb or tingly.

You should be asked to remove any footwear, including socks/stockings. Your feet should be examined – including looking for corns, calluses and changes in shape. Your feet should be tested for numbness or changes in sensation ('neuropathy') with a tuning fork or a fine plastic strand called a monofilament.

During a diabetic foot exam, your doctor will check for signs of infection, injury, bone abnormalities, nerve damage (neuropathy), and poor circulation (blood flow). Neuropathy and poor circulation are the two most common foot conditions people with diabetes have. Neuropathy can make your feet feel tingly or numb.

The clinical diabetic foot exam includes four major components: dermatological, vascular, neurological, musculoskeletal.

Warning Signs of Diabetic Foot Problems Increase swelling of legs or feet. Change of skin color. Burning or tingling sensation. Lack of feeling in the feet.