Watch for These Diabetes Foot Symptoms

Chronic high blood glucose levels can lead to poor circulation and nerve damage in diabetes. These can result in a number of diabetes foot symptoms. Inspect your feet daily and watch for:

Wounds that heal slowly (or do not seem to heal at all). Skin that feels warm or hot to the touch might indicate that there is an infection.
Pus. Again, this could be a sign of infection and may be serious, especially if it's persistant, bloody drainage.
Redness. Redness surrounding a wound (or red streaks spreading from a wound) indicate that an infection is getting worse.
Foot 'trauma' such as ingrown toenails, athlete's foot, yellowing toenails, calluses or corns. These could indicate bacterial infections or perhaps recurring foot problems.
Numbness. Diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage, is not uncommon. Numbness is a problem because it may prevent you from feeling pain. If you have a wound and don't notice it, it could worsen and become infected before you even realize it's there.
Pain. You may have bruised or sprained your foot; there could be an infection; poor circulation; or perhaps your shoes don't fit properly.
Swollen feet. This might be caused by something as mild as improperly fitting shoes, but could also be a sign of poor circulation, inflammation, or infection.

In this video, a podiatrist explains foot problems that commonly occur with diabetics:

Regular exercise and a diabetes treatment plan can help to improve circulation, control blood glucose levels, and minimize the risk of additional health problems including diabetes foot symptoms. Following a good diabetes foot care program can also help to alleviate symptoms.