Publication Date: 6/26/2007
Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
I am 41 years old, have had type 2 diabetes for two years, and although I am still overweight, I have lost one stone (14 pounds). I very much struggle with controlling my glucose levels; some days are good, some days are terrible. However, the thing that gives me cause for concern is my feet. More often than not my feet ache and feel hot or cold or both and sometimes keep me awake at night. My feet are also extremely sensitive underneath even if I touch them myself. I have looked in foot neuropathy but the information suggests that neuropathy does not happen for years. Please advise.Answer
The foot symptoms you describe could easily be from diabetes or related disorders. Although neuropathy may take years to appear, it's also quite possible that your diabetes was causing damage for many years before you were officially diagnosed. Some of what you describe could be due to impaired circulation rather than nerve damage (or a combination of the two).What to do?
- Insist that your physician check the pulses in your feet (they're called "pedal pulses"), and measure how much damage has been done to sensation (this can easily be done with standard office equipment such as a tuning fork). This will tell you how much of your problem is likely to be due to impaired circulation, and how much to nerve damage.
- Get your diabetes under even better control. You're quite right to lose weight, but you should also aim for excellent blood glucose control. If you and your physician can't work out a program to do this, ask for a referral to a diabetes team.
- You may want to have your feet examined by a foot specialist (podiatrist). Again, ask your physician for a referral.
