| Burning, tingling, and numbness in your toes and feet | | | | motor (muscle) function and can continue to walk, but |
| may be the first signs of diabetes. Peripheral | | | | they are unable to detect sores or pain. Unknown |
| neuropathy is a dysfunction of nerves and is | | | | sores on the feet combined with other diabetic |
| commonly seen in the hands and feet. | | | | complications leads to ulcers (open sores) and |
| There are two types of nerves that may be affected: | | | | sometimes amputations. |
| small nerve fibers, and large nerve fibers. Small nerve | | | | To assess your peripheral nerve function, a podiatric |
| fiber damage will cause abnormal sensation and large | | | | physician can do several basic screening tests. While |
| nerve fiber damage leads to decreasing sensory | | | | the patient's eyes are closed, the podiatric physician |
| perception and coordination. Damage to these nerves | | | | uses several tools to test the small and large fiber |
| can be caused for several reasons, but the most | | | | nerves in the foot. Such tools consist of a Semmes |
| common is diabetes. The progression of the | | | | Weinstein Monofilament (similar to fishing line), tuning |
| neuropathy is highly dependent on the glucose levels in | | | | fork, and a Q-tip. It is such a simple screen and takes |
| the blood, though the exact mechanism of damage is | | | | only five minutes to perform, so, there is no excuse for |
| still unknown. | | | | diabetics or pre-diabetics not to get tested. Early |
| In uncontrolled or undetected diabetes, there are | | | | detection of neuropathy can greatly decrease its |
| abnormally high levels of glucose or "sugar" in the | | | | progression and protect the feet from ulcers, |
| blood. The abnormal levels of glucose causes multiple | | | | infections, and even amputations. |
| problems in your body including, eye, kidney, and | | | | Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the |
| cardiovascular damage. Often, the first problem | | | | United States and the complications associated with |
| noticed is the atypical sensations in the feet caused by | | | | the disease can greatly impede on a person's quality |
| peripheral neuropathy or nerve dysfunction. The | | | | of life. It is important to prevent and detect diabetes |
| symptoms are progressive and start at your toes and | | | | early to avoid and slow down the debilitating damage |
| move up like a sock. Diabetic patients often complain | | | | of the high glucose levels in the blood. Diabetes has a |
| of tingling, burning, numbness sensations, similar to the | | | | great effect on a person's feet and often shows |
| sensations a person feels when their foot "falls | | | | some of the first signs of diabetic complications. Thus, |
| asleep." | | | | one with diabetes or diabetic risk factors should pay |
| Over time, the damage will lead to complete loss in | | | | close attention to their feet and contact their podiatric |
| sensation. This is the leading cause for diabetic foot | | | | physician. |
| ulcerations. A person with lost foot sensation still has | | | | |