Early symptoms of diabetic foot

Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
Updated on June 06, 2025
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The initial symptoms of diabetic foot mainly manifest in several aspects. The first symptom is abnormal sensations in the feet, including numbness, pain, a feeling of foreign objects, or as if stepping on cotton. The second situation involves pain in the feet, intermittent claudication, and even pain at rest. If these symptoms occur, it is advised to promptly visit an endocrinology specialist. Treatments may include medications for nourishing the nerves and improving circulation in the lower limbs. Without timely treatment, it's easy for wounds on the feet to ulcerate, leading to infection and severe adverse consequences. It is recommended to treat diabetic foot early to prevent the worsening of the condition and even the risk of amputation.

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Written by Lin Xiang Dong
Endocrinology
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incidence of diabetic foot

As the number of diabetic patients increases, the incidence of diabetic foot also rises. Currently, the prevalence of diabetic foot in China is 5.7%, which is below the global average. Diabetic foot primarily occurs in patients who have had diabetes for over ten years, often due to poor blood sugar control and inadequate care. Diabetic foot is also one of the three major non-traumatic causes of amputation. Therefore, the most severe consequence of diabetic foot is amputation.

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Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
1min 5sec home-news-image

Symptoms of diabetic foot

The symptoms of diabetic foot can be categorized into those without wounds, commonly referred to as stage 0 diabetic foot. The main symptoms of stage 0 diabetic foot include lower limb paralysis, pain, intermittent claudication, severe lancinating pain, and other sensory abnormalities. This is what constitutes a stage 0 diabetic foot. Stages 1 to 5 of diabetic foot progressively involve wound ulceration, typically presenting as progressive ulceration, pain, and exudation. Therefore, it is recommended for diabetic foot patients to seek timely treatment from an endocrinology specialist, and to use medications under the guidance of a doctor to avoid worsening of diabetic foot infections and to prevent severe consequences.

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Written by Yang Li
Endocrinology
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How to relieve pain in diabetic foot?

If diabetic foot is combined with pain, it often depends on the severity of the diabetic foot. It has a Wagner grading system. If there is an obvious wound that extends to the bone, anti-infection treatment is very important, and surgical assessment is necessary to determine if the foot can be saved. If the wound is superficial and only involves the epidermis, local anti-infection and circulation improvement are fundamental. In such cases, COX-2 inhibitors and non-steroidal analgesic drugs may be used. If the pain is caused by peripheral neuropathy, the first step is to nourish the nerves, for example with mecobalamin, and treat the neuropathy with drugs like epalrestat, along with drugs like cilostazol that improve microcirculation. Effective treatments targeted at this type of neuropathic pain include drugs like pregabalin and etoricoxib, designed for bone pain, and gabapentin-related medications can also be used. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
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Can diabetic foot be cured?

Diabetes has many complications, and once detected, the complications of diabetes cannot be completely cured. Diabetic foot is a relatively serious complication of diabetes. Diabetic foot generally involves many years of underlying vascular and nerve damage that eventually leads to infection or ulceration, resulting in the final formation of diabetic foot. Whether such a serious complication can be cured actually depends on the duration of the patient’s condition, the extent of the lesion, and most importantly, how soon they seek medical attention. For instance, if the infection is very severe, has damaged the bone, or if there is dry gangrene with local tissue necrosis in the foot, then no matter what conservative treatment is applied, it will not be effective, and surgical amputation will be the only option, meaning the foot cannot be saved. However, if some individuals only have early-stage skin ulceration that cannot heal, or if there is an infection that is not very severe, and they seek medical attention early, controlling the infection and treating with nerve nutrition and vascular protection can actually heal the ulcerated area of the foot.

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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.