Diabetes is a condition in which excessively high glucose levels in the blood can jeopardize the health of the liver, eyes, kidneys, feet and blood vessels. One common way that diabetics encounter foot problems is due to damaged nervous systems.
Weakened nervous systems are not able to effectively convey messages from the feet, leading to an inability for the patient to feel the feet. This also impairs normal sweat and oil production in the feet, leading to abnormal pressure on the feet during walking and skin problems that results in sores. Due to the suppression of the immune response in diabetics, the body is often unable to heal these sores.
If left untreated bacterial infections can lead to gangrene, which may require amputation to ensure that the infection does not spread to other parts of the body. If you are diabetic it is crucial that you ensure foot health by working with your doctor to reduce the likelihood of infection and quickly treat any infection that arises.