What is diabetic neuropathy and how does it affect feet?

 Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes. High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout the body, but the most common type of diabetic neuropathy affects the legs and feet

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. Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy in the feet include:

• Increased pain sensitivity
• Numbness or weakness
• Slow-healing foot or leg sores (ulcers)
• Tingling
• Total loss of sensation in your feet
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Peripheral neuropathy is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy. Your feet and legs are often affected first, followed by your hands and arms. Possible signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

• Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes
• A tingling or burning sensation
• Sharp, jabbing, or electric-like pain
• Extreme sensitivity to touch, even light touch
• Muscle weakness and difficulty walking
• Loss of balance and coordination
• Serious foot problems, such as ulcers, infections, deformities, and bone and joint pain
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Diabetic neuropathy can cause foot complications, such as sores, ulcers, and infections, because nerve damage can make you lose feeling in your feet. As a result, you may not notice that your shoes are causing a sore or that you have injured your feet. Nerve damage can also cause problems with balance and coordination, leading to falls and fractures. Therefore, foot care is very important for all people with diabetes, and it’s even more important if you have peripheral neuropathy. Check your feet for problems every day, and take good care of your feet

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8 symptoms of serious foot ailment

 Here are 8 symptoms of serious foot ailments from the search results:

1. Cold feet and toes: This could be a sign of vascular disorders due to familial tendencies, diabetes, smoking, and other factors, peripheral artery disorder (PAD), or circulation problems due to diabetes
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2. Burning pain: Burning pain in the feet could be a sign of diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve damage caused by diabetes
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3. Sudden swollen and painful big toe or foot: This could be a sign of gout, which is a form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints
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4. Foot or toe pain disturbing you when sleeping: This could be a sign of peripheral arterial disease, which is a condition where the arteries in the legs and feet become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow to the feet
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5. A sore or wound that will not heal: This could be a sign of poor circulation, which can be caused by a variety of conditions such as diabetes, peripheral artery disease, and smoking
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6. Inflamed swelling of the cartilage and lining of the joints: This could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the joints
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7. Tingling or loss of feeling in the feet: This could be a sign of diabetic neuropathy or peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage caused by conditions such as diabetes, alcoholism, and vitamin deficiencies
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8. Severe foot pain: Foot pain can be a sign of serious conditions such as peripheral arterial disease, arthritis, and diabetes
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