Has Neuropathy Hit You?

Tingling toes? Not yet? You're lucky. But this is maybe a first symptom of diabetes. At first it feels like your foot is asleep but it doesn’t stop. That's Peripheral Neuropathy. High blood sugar damages the walls of the tiny blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the nerves in the ends of the feet and hands*. Your podiatrust will test your sensitivity (or lack thereof) and you will be advised to never go barefoot again. Never (well, maybe in the shower!) Even in your home, there could be something lurking that could puncture or cut your foot. If your feet are numb you could suffer a cut and not know it. Even a scrape or open blister can be an entry for a staph infection and lead to osteomyelitis, a bone infection probably resulting in an amputation. Poor circulation that causes neuropathy limits the supply of blood and the white blood cells needed to fight infection. Result? You lose a toe! The message to inspect your feet on a daily basis is reinforced by the doctor who performs the surgery and echos the words of your podiatrust. So how are your feet?

You need to learn that diabetic feet are not to be left unprotected! No bare feet. Ever! Not even at home (well, maybe in the shower.) When you have numb feet you can step on something sharp and not know it. A podiatrist will check your feet and also trim toenails. Yes, it’s possible to cut your toe when doing that yourself. Accidentally clipping a toe tip is just one possible injury. I had an abrasion from a too-snug shoe that became infected and in short order resulted in amputation of the small toe! Protect your feet!

* ...and the essential organs in the body: eyes, kidneys, and heart! It's a fact that neuropathy is a lot more complicated than most initial descriptions! Not everyone gets it, and it can develop over time. There is a lot of news on the page for the National Institure for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. You should read it, but it is not encouraging!