One of the most serious complications that come about from diabetes is the nerve damage that results from years of high amounts of glucose in the blood. Diabetes sensation loss often leads to further complications because the diabetic is unable to tell if they are injured. Most often, diabetes sensation loss begins in the feet. This is why it is recommended that diabetics never go about barefoot and avoid being around sharp objects. Diabetics should also inspect their feet daily in case a wound or cut goes unnoticed. This sensation loss can also affect the person’s ability to sense the way that they are walking, so trips and falls are common in cases of diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage.
If an injury occurs in diabetic neuropathy, it increases the likelihood that an ulcer may form. Gangrene or death of skin tissue may also occur, according to LiveStrong.com. If an injury due to diabetes sensation loss is left untreated, there is a large risk that a food or lower leg amputation must be performed. In fact, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 60 percent of non-traumatic lower-leg amputations happen to diabetics.
Diabetes Burning Sensation
One of the most common symptoms of diabetes sensation loss or neuropathy is a burning sensation in the feet or lower legs. For many people this is the first sign that they have diabetes, however, it probably means that they have been having trouble with their blood glucose levels for years. If you are not diagnosed with diabetes and are having burning sensations in your feet, you should be tested for the disease.
Whether you have diabetes are not there are a number of reasons why you may be experiencing burning sensations other than nerve damage. For example, burning sensations in the feet occur in people who stand for long periods of time, or are exposed to hot temperatures, and shoes or socks which are made of synthetic materials can cause a burning sensation as well. Other reasons for diabetes burning feet may include a food fungus, alcoholism, kidney failure, peripheral arterial disease, tarsal tunnel syndrome, Morton’s neuroma, a vitamin deficiency, and several other causes, according to Diabetes.org. In any case, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible in order to narrow down the possible causes before your condition becomes worse.
Diabetes Tingling Sensation
Numbness and tingling sensations in the hands and feet are also a common symptom of diabetic neuropathy. About 2/3 of people with diabetes are estimated to have a mild or severe form of nerve damage. The diabetes sensation loss that occurs because of this progresses over time and may not be noticeable at first. The first part of treatment for diabetes nerve damage is the strict control of blood sugar levels. By doing this the progression can be slowed and sometimes even reversed.
Burning Sensation in Feet Diabetes Complications
If the burning sensation in your feet is caused by diabetic neuropathy, you should follow your doctor’s instructions very carefully. Aside from the high risk of amputation, nerve damage may also lead to bone deformities. When a person has diabetes sensation loss in the extremities it may lead to muscle weakness and the loss of reflexes. This causes people to change the way in which they move, leading to stress on areas of the foot where it is not designed to take pressure, and because of this, the bones to change shape and deform.
Another problem with the loss of sensation in the feet is that the person is not able to sense temperature. So, people with diabetes sensation loss are likely to suffer from burns or frostbite if preventative measures are not taken. Therefore, you should talk to your physician as soon as possible about these issues.
