Burning, Tingling or Numbness in Your Feet....Are You a Diabetic?

Do you ever feel burning, tingling or numbness in your feet and toes? If so, these can be warning signs for diabetes.

The symptoms listed above may be caused by a condition called diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage. Neuropathy in the feet can lead to permanent numbness, deformities such as bunions and hammertoes, and/or dry skin that cracks open and won't heal.

Burning, tingling and numbness in the toes can also be symptoms of thyroid problems, nutritional deficiencies, back problems and pinched nerves in the ankles. However, in the United States, diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy and can lead to further foot complications, such as ulcerations or sores.

Out of the 23 million Americans with diabetes, one in four hasn't been diagnosed. Some people learn they have diabetes only after seeing a doctor for burning, tingling and numbness in their toes and feet. Many people already diagnosed with diabetes aren't familiar with neuropathy's symptoms.

Twenty percent of diabetes patients who develop ulcers will require an amputation. Patients who are black, Hispanic and Native American are twice as likely as whites to need a diabetes-related amputation. Half of all people with diabetes who have a toe or foot amputation die within three years. The annual cost for diabetic ulcer care in the U.S. is estimated at $5 billion.

If you or someone you know is suffering from these symptoms or has been diagnosed with diabetes and needs a foot check please call our office, 440-946-5858, to schedule an appointment.