How can diabetes damage my feet?

High levels of glucose from diabetes causes two problems that can hurt your feet:

Nerve damage:

One problem is damage to nerves in the legs and feet. The nerves are damaged, can not feel pain, heat or cold in the legs and feet. A sore or wound in the foot may get worse because they know it's there. The lack of sensation is caused by nerve damage, also known as diabetic neuropathy. Nerve damage can lead to an ulcer or infection.

Poor blood flow

The second problem happens when not enough blood to the legs and feet. Poor blood flow makes it difficult for an ulcer or infection to heal. This problem is called peripheral vascular disease, also called peripheral vascular disease. Smoking when you have diabetes makes blood flow problems much worse.

For example, you get a blister from shoes that do not fit. You do not feel the pain of the blister due to damage to nerves in the foot. Next, the blister gets infected. If blood glucose is high, the extra glucose feeds the germs. Germs grow and the infection gets worse. Poor blood circulation in the legs and feet can slow healing. From time to time never heals a severe infection. The infection can cause gangrene. If a person has gangrene, the skin and tissue around painful death. The area becomes black and smelly.

To prevent the spread of gangrene, the doctor may have to do surgery to cut off a toe, foot, or part of a leg. The cutting of a body part is called an amputation.

Healthy Feet Diabetes Problems

Excess glucose in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This blood glucose, also called blood sugar can damage many body organs such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes and kidneys. Heart and blood vessels can cause heart attacks and strokes. You can do much to prevent or delay diabetes problems.

This information is about feet and skin problems caused by diabetes. You'll learn things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems.

High blood glucose can cause feet and skin problems.

What other eye problems that can happen to people with diabetes?

You can have two eyes for other problems, cataracts and glaucoma. People without diabetes can get these eye problems, too. However, people with diabetes get these problems more often and at an earlier age.

Cataracts:

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, which is normally clear. The lens focuses light onto the retina. A cataract makes everything you look at seem cloudy. You need a surgery to remove the cataract. During surgery your lens is removed and a plastic lens, like a contact lens is placed in. The plastic lens remains in the eye all the time. Cataract surgery helps you see clearly.

Glaucoma:

Glaucoma starts from the pressure builds up in the eye. Over time, this pressure damages the eye's main nerve, optic nerve. The damage first causes you to lose sight of the sides of your eyes. The treatment of glaucoma is usually simple. Your doctor will give you special drops to use every day to lower the pressure in the eye. Or your eye care you may have laser surgery.

About Diabetes Retina Problems and Know Retina Damage

About diabetes retina problems:

Keep blood glucose and blood pressure as normal as possible.
Your doctor may suggest laser treatment, when a beam of light is directed onto the retina of the damaged eye. The beam closes the vessels that bleed. You can stop the blood and fluid in the vitreous. Laser treatment can reduce the loss of sight.

If a large amount of blood that has seeped into your vitreous and your sight is poor, your eye doctor may recommend surgery called a vitrectomy. A vitrectomy removes blood and vitreous fluid of the eye. Then clean fluid is put back into the eye. Surgery can make your eyesight better.

know if I have retina damage from diabetes:

You may not have any signs of diabetes retina damage or you can have one or more signs:

• blurred or double vision
• rings, flashing lights or blind spots
• dark spots or floating
• pain or pressure in one or both eyes
• trouble seeing things out of the corners of your eyes