Diabetes symptoms include an unusual tingling pain in your feet

20 June 2023 , 15:07

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High blood sugar could cause nerve damage; particularly in the hands, feet and legs (Image: Getty Images)

Diabetes is a common condition that affects about five million people in the UK alone.

Most of the cases are caused by type 2 diabetes, which is where the body struggles to react to the hormone insulin, or the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin.

The most common diabetes symptoms usually include persistent fatigue, passing more urine than normal, or feeling unusually thirsty.

But, some patients might also start to develop a strange pain on their feet.

High blood sugar could cause nerve damage; particularly in the hands, feet and legs.

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It might lead to a numbness in the feet, but also a tingling or burning pain, it said.

Speak to a doctor if you're worried about the symptoms of diabetes (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As the nerve damage progresses, the feet could become extremely sensitive to the touch.

Some patients even struggle to put their feet under a bedsheet as the pain becomes so intense.

You should speak to a doctor if you develop an unusual tingling pain in your feet that won't go away, or interrupts your daily routine.

Left untreated, the nerve damage could develop even further, which adds a whole host of medical complications.

You might have a cut or sore that goes unnoticed and subsequently becomes infected and won't heal.

Some diabetes patients are even forced to have limbs amputated if wounds go unnoticed for too long.

The Mayo Clinic said: "Nerve damage can cause a loss of feeling in the feet, so even minor cuts can turn into sores or ulcers without being noticed.

"In severe cases, an infection can spread to the bone or lead to tissue death. Removal [amputation] of a toe, foot or even part of the leg may be necessary."

But just because you develop an unusual pain in your feet, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have diabetes.

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Foot pain is incredibly common, and could be caused by a wide-range of medical conditions.

Pain, swelling, and bruising are usually linked to a sprain or strain, added the NHS.

A red hot pain with swollen skin could also be caused by gout - particularly if it becomes increasingly painful if anything touches the foot.

If you're worried about the signs of diabetes, or think you could be at risk of the condition, you should speak to a doctor straight away.

A quick blood test could be enough to reveal your risk of diabetes.

Matt Atherton