Type 2 diabetes: Leg symptoms include hot and cold sensations, tingling or sensitive feet
Diabetes UK show how to test feet for diabetic feet sensitivity
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Diabetes develops when a person’s body does not make enough insulin to process sugars present in the blood. This can lead to many complications, including leg pain and three other unusual symptoms.
Many symptoms of consistently high blood sugar levels are concentrated in the feet.
This is because high blood sugar levels often damage the nerves of your extremities first – a process known as neuropathy.
These sensations often interfere with daily activities or sleep.
You should call your doctor for an appointment if you start to experience any unpleasant sensations as left untreated, amputation may be a sad reality for some.
Diabetic neuropathy refers to nerve damage and can occur in different parts of the body but is most common in the legs and arms.
When nerve damage occurs in these outer limbs, doctors call it diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
When diabetic peripheral neuropathy affects the legs, it means that the nerves there are no longer functioning properly, and this may cause pain.
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In addition to leg pain, a person may also experience symptoms such as:
- Tingling in the feet or lower legs
- Feet that get very cold or very hot
- Overly sensitive feet.
How to respond
Following a healthy lifestyle can help to control your glucose (sugar) level and reduce your risk of developing complications.
Tweaking your diet is one of the most effective countermeasures against high blood sugar levels.
A simple and free tip is to drink more water.
Diabetes.co.uk explains: “When your blood sugar levels are running high, your body will try to flush excess sugar out of your blood through the urine.
“As a result, your body will need more fluids to rehydrate itself. Drinking water can help the body with flushing out some of the glucose in the blood.”
People do not always get all the nutrients they need from their diet alone.
“In some cases, supplementing nutrient intake can help fill nutritional gaps,” says Medical News Today.
The health site adds: “Vitamins and supplements that may help with diabetic neuropathy include:
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
- Acetyl-L-carnitine
- Alpha-lipoic acid.
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