Treatment of diabetic foot numbness

Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
Updated on May 25, 2025
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If diabetic foot feels numb, it is a manifestation of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic foot is a complication that occurs after diabetes has advanced to a certain degree, so it is normal for a person with diabetic foot to feel numbness. Some patients with severe diabetic neuropathy may not even feel pain during debridement, which involves cleaning the local tissues. A healthy person would definitely feel pain, but a diabetic patient, due to their neuropathy, may not feel much, if any, pain. For such patients, the main treatments are firstly, definitely controlling blood sugar and blood pressure; secondly, using medications that nourish the nerves; and thirdly, improving circulation to aid local blood flow.

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Written by Lin Xiang Dong
Endocrinology
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The precursor of diabetic foot

Diabetic foot is commonly seen in patients who have had diabetes for over ten years, often due to poor blood sugar control and inadequate care. There are three factors that lead to diabetic foot. The first is vascular factors, often accompanied by arterial stenosis in both lower limbs, leading to blood supply disorders. The second is neuropathy, accompanied by peripheral neuropathy, insensitivity to temperature and pain, which makes it easy to suffer burns and external injuries to the foot. The third factor is the presence of an infectious trigger. When these three factors combine, the risk of diabetic foot becomes very high.

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Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
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Is it good for people with diabetes to soak their feet?

Whether soaking the feet is beneficial for diabetic foot or not first depends on whether there are any wounds on the feet. If it is a grade 0 diabetic foot, where the diabetic only experiences abnormal sensations, numbness, or pain in the foot without any wound, then soaking the feet is permissible. However, it is crucial to be mindful of the water temperature during soaking; it generally should not exceed 40°C to avoid burns. If the diabetic foot has open wounds, foot soaking is not recommended. Soaking feet with wounds can easily lead to increased infection of the wounds.

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Written by Yang Li
Endocrinology
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What to eat for diabetic foot?

Typically, patients with diabetic foot have had diabetes for a long period, and often have diabetic nephropathy, or serious hypoproteinemia and malnutrition. In such cases, patients with diabetic foot need to supplement with protein, specifically high-quality protein, and must avoid low-quality protein. What constitutes low-quality protein? This includes soy products and plant proteins. High-quality protein, on the other hand, includes sources like milk, eggs, poultry, and meat. However, if renal insufficiency is present and creatinine levels have increased, the amount of protein must be limited. Protein intake should be calculated based on body weight and creatinine levels, using different coefficients to determine the total daily protein allowance. It is crucial to make these protein adjustments within the framework of a diabetic diet.

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Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
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What are the early symptoms of diabetic foot?

Diabetic foot is a complication of diabetes, relatively late-stage and severe. One of the most dreadful consequences it can cause is amputation, leading to lifelong disability. Many patients worry about developing diabetic foot and should pay attention to the early stages of diabetic foot, which actually manifest as changes in the blood vessels and nerves. For example, vascular changes can make certain areas of the skin appear whiter and cooler, and the pulsation of the dorsal artery of the foot may weaken. Nerve changes are characterized by numbness, tingling, or alternating sensations of heat and cold in the foot, as well as other abnormal sensations. These are all signs of complications and early manifestations.

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Written by Lin Xiang Dong
Endocrinology
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Where does diabetic foot hurt?

Diabetic foot refers to those with a history of diabetes who subsequently develop skin ulceration and pus formation on the feet, which can progress to localized gangrene or gangrene of the entire foot. This condition is then termed as diabetic foot. It is usually due to three factors: The first is vascular factors, often accompanied by arterial narrowing in both lower limbs, leading to ischemia and hypoxia. The second is neurological factors, typically accompanied by peripheral neuropathy, causing numbness in both feet and insensitivity to pain, thus often pain is not felt. The third factor involves the presence of an infection. These three factors together make it easy for diabetic foot to develop. Therefore, most patients with diabetic foot do not feel pain. However, if the neuropathy is relatively mild or is a painful neuropathy, these patients may feel pain in their feet or at the site of skin ulceration.