Did you know you can suffer from foot problems without serious pain? When you have diabetes, pain is not always a reliable indicator of a serious foot problem. Since diabetes often causes nerve damage and a loss of sensation in the feet, you don’t always feel pain, making it sometimes difficult to detect injuries.
Diabetes also affects the ability for foot wounds to heal, and this can cause complications such as infection or even amputation if a wound on the foot goes untreated. 
Not Feeling Pain in Your Feet
When diabetes causes nerve damage to the feet, people who suffer a foot injury may experience pain, numbness, or tingling while others have no symptoms. Often, nerve damage allows a cut, blister, or sore to go undetected until it becomes a foot ulcer. If a foot ulcer isn’t treated properly, it can become infected, and the infection can spread to surrounding tissue or bone. If the infection cannot be stopped, amputation may be needed to save your life. According to our experienced Grapevine foot doctor, because of this nerve damage, you may be suffering from foot problems without serious pain and not even know it.
Signs of a Foot Problem
Because a diabetic patient may have a foot problem without serious pain, there are other signs to be aware of that can indicate a problem, including:
- Burning or tingling sensation
- Swelling
- Redness or warmth
- Foul odor
- Dry, cracked skin
- Change in color or temperature of your feet
- Toenails that are thick and yellow
- Change in the shape or appearance of your feet
- Blood or drainage on your socks
- Inability to feel hot or cold
Ways to Prevent Diabetic Foot Problems
When you have diabetes, it is important to take proper care of your feet. Keeping your blood sugar managed and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor can help prevent diabetic nerve damage or stop it from progressing. In addition, our Grapevine foot doctor recommeneds doing the following to keep your feet healthy:
- Quit smoking
- Eat a healthy diet, and stay physically active
- Always wear socks to protect your feet, and never walk barefoot
- Wear shoes that fit properly and are not too tight
- Wash your feet daily, and dry them thoroughly
- Trim your toenails straight across
- Do daily self-checks of your feet to look for cuts, blisters, sores, or other abnormalities
- See a podiatrist at the first sign of a foot problem before it turns into something more serious
Contact Our Grapevine Podiatrist if You Suffer From Foot Problems Without Serious Pain
If you have concerns about diabetic foot care or are experiencing foot problems without serious pain, contact our experienced Grapevine foot doctor for a consultation. To request an appointment at our Grapevine or Keller office, fill out our online contact form, or call our office at 817- 481-4000.
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