If you have diabetes, you will be aware of the importance of taking care your feet.
You can spot signs and symptoms of diabetes on your toenails, in addition to the four most obvious ones.
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These are the ‘4 Ts’ that are most commonly associated with type 2 diabetes.
Visit your GP if your habits are changing.
The NHSAccording to Dr. Robertson, if you have diabetes, you are more likely to get infections and cuts and wounds will take longer to heal.
Diabetes complications are well-known to occur at the feet. Signs such as thickened toenails or a rash could indicate that you should see your GP.
Diabetes symptoms would include foot symptoms.
Diabetes can lead to more severe complications than those who do not have it.
NHS guidance states: “Diabetes can reduce the blood supply to your feet and cause a loss of feeling known as peripheral neuropathy.
“This can mean foot injuries don’t heal well and you may not notice if your foot is sore or injured.”
Mike O’Neill, a foot specialist explained that complications can be reduced if blood sugar levels are controlled.
“Ensure that your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also monitored and controlled with medication if needed.”
Candida can be an infection anywhere on the body, but it is most common in the skin folds, between the fingers and toes.
These infections could lead to reddening and tenderness of your skin, and even the possibility that your nails will fall off.
This is when there is an infection on the feet.
Diabetic patients are more likely to develop skin infections.
Are you having problems with your feet? These are the best times to see a doctor
Get help if you have blisters, or other injuries that aren’t healing quickly if your diabetic.
According to the NHS, issues with your feet can present in many ways.
- Breaks in your skin and seepage from your feet
- The skin’s colour can change from red to blue to dark.
- Extra swelling after a blister, injury or other incident
- An ulcer can cause redness
- You may notice redness in areas where you’ve had trouble before
Patients with poor circulation conditions may also be affected.
Diabetics are more at risk due to high blood sugar levels that can weaken the immune defenses.
Candida and yeast infections, such as candida can thrive on sugar. It is important that diabetics monitor their diets.
Type 2 diabetes can be difficult to detect for many people.
One sign that diabetics may overlook is tiredness. It could be due to fatigue, a busy work schedule, or active social lives.
You should see your GP if you have persistent paronychia, or a condition like athletes foot. It is possible that you may have undiagnosed diabetes.
However, this is not always the case for type 2 diabetics.
This is because type 1 diabetes patients will experience high blood sugar levels even before being diagnosed.
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