Diabetic tingling feet could be an indicator of a serious condition called peripheral neuropathy. This is nerve damage that begins in the feet and hands, and spreads up the legs and arms, eventually affecting the functioning of your internal organs. If you are experiencing diabetic tingling feet, it is best to visit your doctor as soon as possible. With the early intervention of medical treatment, nerve damage can be controlled before it gets worse. Sometimes it is even possible to reverse the damage.
Diabetic tingling feet is only one symptom of diabetic neuropathy, but it is usually the first. Other symptoms may follow, although symptoms can vary from person to person. According to the Mayo Clinic, other symptoms of diabetic neuropathy may include:
- Numbness or the reduced ability to feel pain and/or temperature changes
- Tingling and burning in feet or toes
- Sharp, jabbing feelings that is normally worse at night
- Pain when walking
- Extreme sensitivity to even the lightest touch
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty walking
- Serious foot problems such as ulcer, deformities, infections, and joint pain
Symptoms tend to become more severe as the nerve damage progresses. The best way to try and contain the symptoms to just diabetic tingling in your feet is to begin carefully monitoring your blood sugar levels and keeping them within a normal range. As soon as you are diagnosed your doctor will help you to work out a treatment plan to keep your diabetic neuropathy from getting worse.
Diabetic Foot Tingling Precautions
One of the worse conditions to come about from diabetic neuropathy is the risk of amputation. This risk is present from the point when you first experience diabetic tingling in your feet. When nerves are damaged you lack the sensations that you used to have and therefore can easily overlook small scratches, scrapes, or other injuries that you would have noticed before. This often causes wounds to go untreated and unprotected, and leads to infection that can quickly turn severe. Furthermore, diabetics often have poor circulation, another cause of diabetic tingling feet, which make wounds heal more slowly. This also heightens the risk of infection. If the infection cannot be controlled, amputation is likely going to be the only option left.
Whether you are experiencing the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy or not, you should take good care of your feet if you are a diabetic. Take time every day to check your feet, looking for any sores, cuts, or breaks in the skin. Even the slightest cut should be treated with an antibiotic cream and bandaged. Also, check for corns, calluses, blisters, red areas, swelling, and ingrown toenails for any sign of infection. In addition it is recommended that you moisturize your feet daily, always dry your feet carefully after washing them in warm water, never walk barefoot, and make sure that you wear clean, dry, well-fitted socks and shoes.
