Do you Suffer from Diabetic Foot Numbness?

What is Diabetic Neuropathy Numbness?

It is a complication caused by nerve damage that occurs in diabetes patients. High blood glucose levels have the potential to injure or damage nerves throughout the body. However, diabetic neuropathy usually injures nerves in the feet and legs.

However, depending on the nerves that have been affected and the level of damage, diabetic neuropathy signs and symptoms can range from numbness to pain in your feet and legs. Therefore, some people can have mild signs but for others, the condition can be disabling and quite painful.

Diabetic neuropathy affects about 50% of all diabetes patients. However, the condition can be prevented or slowed with a healthy lifestyle and consistent blood sugar management.

Symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy

The symptoms usually depend on the nerves which have been affected and patients may not notice anything is amiss until significant damage occurs.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is also known as distal symmetric peripheral diabetic neuropathy and it is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy.

It usually affects the legs and feet first before progressing to the arms and hands. Symptoms of peripheral diabetic neuropathy are usually worse during the night and they may include:

Numb feet diabetes

  • Numbness in feet and legs
  • Burning or tingling sensation
  • Diminished ability to feel temperature changes or pain
  • Higher sensitivity to touch (even a blanket’s weight can be uncomfortable or painful for some people)
  • Foot problems such as infections, ulcers, joint, and bone pain
  • Cramps or sharp pains

It is recommended that testing for diabetic neuropathy start immediately after diagnosis with diabetes and annually after that.

Causes

Although the exact cause of diabetic foot numbness is not known, studies show that uncontrolled high blood glucose damages nerves over time and affects their ability to transmit signals, causing diabetic neuropathy. Moreover, high blood glucose weakens the walls of capillaries (small blood vessels) that deliver nutrients and oxygen to the nerves.

Risk factors

Although anyone suffering from diabetes can develop diabetic neuropathy, some factors increase the risk of getting nerve damage.

  1. Diabetes history:

The risk of developing diabetic neuropathy numbness is higher for people who have suffered from diabetes for longer, especially if their blood glucose is not well controlled.

  1. Uncontrolled blood sugar:

Poor blood sugar control increases the risk of all diabetes complications, including diabetic neuropathy numbness.

  1. Being overweight:

If you have a BMI (body mass index) of 25 of more, your risk of diabetic neuropathy is higher.

  1. Smoking:

Smoking hardens and narrows the arteries hence reducing blood flow to the feet and legs. Reduced blood flow causes numbness and damages peripheral nerves making it harder for wounds to heal.

  1. Kidney disease:

Chronic conditions such as diabetes can damage your kidneys. Damaged kidneys send toxins into your bloodstream leading to nerve damage.

Complications of Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy can lead to various complications, such as:

  • Loss of a leg, foot, or toe

Nerve damage leads to loss of feeling in the feet, so cuts and other minor injuries can turn into ulcers or patients without the patient realizing it. Some cases can gradually become severe and infections can cause tissue death or spread to the bone. Amputation (removal) of the lower leg, foot or a toe may even be necessary.

  • Hypoglycemia unawareness

If your blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl, you may experience a fast heartbeat, sweating, and shaking. However, people with autonomic diabetes neuropathy may miss these symptoms of hypoglycemia.

  • Urinary tract infections

If nerves that control the bladder are destroyed, you may not fully empty the bladder. This can lead to the buildup of bacteria in the kidneys and bladder, causing infections of the urinary tract.

  • Sharp drop in your blood pressure

If the nerves that control blood flow are damaged, the body’s ability to control blood pressure may be affected. This can cause fainting and dizziness due to sharp drops in pressure, especially after standing.

Other complications of diabetic neuropathy include digestive problems, decreased or increased sweating, and sexual dysfunction.

How can you Prevent Diabetic Foot Numbness?

Diabetic neuropathy numbness and its complications can be prevented or delayed by managing blood glucose levels properly and taking good care of the feet.Neuropathy shoes

Foot care for diabetics

Good foot care practices include:

  • Checking your feet for cuts, peeling and cracked skin, swelling, redness, bruises, and blisters every day.
  • Keep your feet dry and clean
  • Trim toenails carefully
  • Moisturize your feet
  • Wear dry, clean socks
  • Wear shoes that fit well
  • Use cushioned shoes

Foot problems such as ulcers, sores that don’t heal and amputations are some complications of diabetes and diabetic neuropathy. However, these problems can be prevented by having a foot examination once a year and taking good care of the feet.

Read about diabetic foot swelling HERE!

diabetes toe numbness

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1200 calorie diabetic plan

1200 Calorie Diabetic PlanWhat is a good 1200 calorie diabetic plan? For diabetics a good diet means everything to them. If they eat wrong types of food their blood sugar explodes. If they eat too little food they can suffer hypoglycemia. So the right diabetic diet is everything.

Diabetes is a condition where the body produces too little of a chemical called insulin. (The pancreas organ is responsible) They chemical called insulin is responsible for changing the blood sugar in your blood into fuel that the body can use.

When too little of the insulin is in the blood the blood glucose levels begin to rise. Once they reach a certain high level they begin to cause severe damage to some of the body’s main components. The common damage that is done includes heart damage, nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage. This makes doing a 1200 calorie diabetic plan a must.

When the diabetics body has to little of the insulin it needs to consume foods that are low in sugar. First talk to your doctor and see what the kind of calorie diabetic plan he gives you. He may be able to give you a very good diabetic diet plan. Then talk to others who diabetics and see what their suggestions they can make. The main diabetic diet of a diabetic should consist of low sugar foods.

This means no large amounts of fruit or candy and the like. Also it should consist of high dietary fiber foods. Also when you talk to your doctor ask about some exercise. Exercise is needed when it comes to helping maintain a proper blood sugar. But only do as your doctor says it may become very dangerous if you over do it. So see about a 1200 calorie diabetic plan and what will fit your lifestyle and make controlling your diabetes better.

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What is a 1000 calorie diabetic diet?

1000 Calorie Diabetic Diet

What is a good 1000 calorie diabetic diet? For diabetics a good diet means everything to them. If they eat wrong types of food their blood sugar explodes. If they eat too little food they can suffer hypoglycemia. So the right diabetic diet is everything. Diabetes is a condition where the body produces too little of a chemical called insulin. (The pancreas organ is responsible) They chemical called insulin is responsible for changing the blood sugar in your blood into fuel that the body can use.

When too little of the insulin is in the blood the blood glucose levels begin to rise. Once they reach a certain high level they begin to cause severe damage to some of the body’s main components. The common damage that is done includes heart damage, nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage. This makes doing a 1000 calorie per day diet a must!

So what’s in a 1000 calorie diabetic diet?

When the diabetics body has to little of the insulin it needs to consume foods that are low in sugar. First talk to your doctor and see what the kinds of 1000 calorie diet he’ll give you. He may be able to give you a very good diabetic diet plan. Then talk to others who are diabetics and see what suggestions they can give you. The main diet of a diabetic should consist of low sugar foods (This means no large amounts of fruit or candy and a likes). It should also consist of high dietary fiber foods. Also when you talk to your doctor ask about what type exercise he can give you. Exercise is needed when it comes to maintaining a proper blood sugar. But only do as your doctor says, it may become very dangerous if you over do it. So check out a 1000 calorie diabetic diet that will fit your lifestyle and in controlling your diabetes and on a better level.

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What is a prestige glucose meter?

prestige glucose meter
prestige glucose meter

What is a prestige glucose meter? A glucose meter is a machine that is used by diabetics to help monitor their blood sugar levels. For diabetics using these handy handheld items is a serious matter. So having the best is an absolute need.

Diabetes is an extremely serious and life threatening disease. Diabetes affects almost 30 million in the United States alone. With today’s sugar stuffed sweets and advances in diabetes treatment this number is only growing as the defective gene is passed on.

Diabetes is where a very serious organ known to many as the pancreas slow or sometimes stops in the production of a necessary hormone called insulin. Insulin is a very vital hormone that the body uses to make fuel The hormone is put in the blood stream there it binds with the glucose in the blood stream to transform it into a fuel source that the cells are capable of using. Without this hormone the body has no energy source and the blood glucose level begins to rise.

When the blood glucose levels hit a certain high level they begin to damage in permanent ways. The most common permanent damage is heart damage, a increase in the chance of heart disease, nerve damage, eye damage, and kidney damage. This damage will permanently scar the diabetic and make this suffer for the rest of their lives. This makes controlling your blood sugar a serious matter. So what is a prestige glucose meter?

A prestige glucose meter is a great glucose monitor. This particular monitor has several wonderful additions. It has a large easy to read screen for children and those who have bad eye sight. It uses smart test strips. It also uses a very small sample of blood unlike many other blood glucose meters. So talk to your diabetic supplier about the prestige glucose meter.

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What are diabetes testing meters used for?

 

diabetes testing meters
diabetes testing meters

What are diabetes testing meters used for? Diabetes testing meters are devices that allow diabetics to check their blood sugar levels at any time they need. This is extremely useful so they can keep a normal safe blood sugar level at almost any time, which is a life saver, literally. Diabetes is where the pancreas starts to slow or sometime stop in the production of a hormone called insulin. Insulin is an absolutely vital hormone. It makes all of the energy that you body has. This means that when your body doesn’t have insulin it doesn’t have energy. This is by the sugar that is in the blood stream becoming bonded with the insulin.

Without this binding the sugar cannot be used by the cells. So if insulin levels are low, blood sugar is high. When it reaches a certain point it becomes a poison and starts to damage the body. The damage most associated with hyperglycemia is heart damage, nerve damage, eye damage, and kidney damage. Of which they all lead to a slow death, so using diabetes testing meters are a have to in order to stay healthy.

Diabetes testing meters are small handheld machines that are used to measure blood sugar. The unit uses test strips to do this. First a small sample of blood is taken and is placed in a test strip. The chemical reactions that happen inside of the test strip are read by the glucose meter. This then gives a excellent (and very accurate) glucose reading on a small screen. This allows people to check their blood sugar at any time and anywhere. So you should talk to your doctor about a new glucose meter or to your local diabetic testing meters dealer for more information.

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