If you are suffering from diabetes, your doctor has probably warned you about possible diabetic neuropathy foot problems. After all, if you cannot feel your feet, you are much more likely to suffer an injury that could develop into a serious infection—and possibly cause you to lose the foot.
But what you may not know is that there is another type of nerve damage that does not just cause you to lose feeling, but to feel pain and other unpleasant sensations in your feet. This is called painful neuropathy, and can cause as many as 10% of diabetic patients to suffer chronic foot pain issues.
There are a number of diabetic neuropathy symptoms. Most often, they are felt in the feet, but you may also experience sensations in the legs and hands, including:
- Burning sensations on the soles of the feet
- Freezing or cold sensations in the feet and toes
- Stabbing pains like knives or glass in the feet
- Stinging, or a feeling of electric shocks
- Tingling, such as pins and needles or itching
In most cases, the painful symptoms of neuropathy are short lived and last 12 months or less. They are usually experienced during periods of high blood glucose levels or when the blood glucose level fluctuates rapidly. Once the blood sugar has remained stable for a few months, the symptoms will often ease and may even disappear altogether.
The causes of painful neuropathy are not fully understood. However, many doctors believe that if symptoms have persisted for more than 12 months, they are unlikely to disappear on their own—even with vigilant blood glucose control.
To find out the best course of treatment for your diabetic foot problems, call the trusted Philadelphia podiatrists at HealthMark Foot & Ankle Associates today to set up your first consultation. We are ready to serve you in two locations: at 610-565-3668 in Media or at 610-933-8644 in Phoenixville.