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If you are diabetic it can hurt your feet. High blood glucose is harmful to your body and it can cause devastating damage to your feet. If you do not control your diabetes, you can develop the complications of diabetes. One of the major parts of the body that is affected are your feet.

Have an elevated glucose level when you are diabetic causes two problems for your feet:

1. NERVE DAMAGE

One problem from elevated glucose levels is damage to the nerves in your legs and feet. When your nerves are damaged, it is possible you might not feel pain, heat or cold in your legs and feet. A simple cut or sore on your foot may get worse because you have no knowledge that it is there. The names for this lack of feeling is called diabetic neuropathy. This can lead to a worsening infection.

2. DECREASED BLOOD FLOW

High blood glucose levels can decrease the blood flow to your legs and feet. When you have poor circulation, it is harder for a sore or infection to get better. This is known as peripheral vascular disease. If you smoke, then the circulation problems can be even more severe.

Because of these two problems, together they spell big trouble for your feet. For example, you buy a new pair of shoes and develop a blister because the new shoes do not fit properly. You will not feel the pain from the blister developing on your foot because of the nerve damage. Then to add to the problem, the blister gets infected. If you blood sugar is high, the extra glucose will cause the infection to get worse. Then with the poor circulation to the legs and feet, healing is a very slow process. There are some situations where wounds never heal.

A serious complication of an infection is called gangrene. When you develop gangrene, the skin and tissue around the infected area die. The ares will become black and smelly. There is where the physician may have to do surgery to cut off a toe, foot or part of the leg. This may be the only option to stop the gangrene from spreading. When you cut off any body part, the procedure is called an amputation.

There are things that every diabetic should do every day to take care of their feet.

* Every day wash your feet in warm water. This is where you make sure the water is not too hot or cold. You can test the temperature of the water with your elbow. You should not soak your feet, and make sure you dry your feet well and especially between your toes.

* Every day take the time to examine your feet. You need to take a close look for cuts, sores, any redness,

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