Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your nerves. If you have damaged nerves in your legs and feet, you might not feel heat, cold, or pain. This lack of feeling is called "sensory diabetic neuropathy." If you do not feel a cut or sore on your foot because of neuropathy, the cut could get worse and become infected. The muscles of the foot may not function properly because the nerves that make the muscles work are damaged.
This could cause the foot to not align properly and create too much pressure in one area of the foot. It is estimated that up to 10% of people with diabetes will develop foot ulcers. Foot ulcers occur because of nerve damage and peripheral vascular disease.Diabetes also affects the flow of blood. Without good blood flow, it takes longer for a sore or cut to heal. Poor blood flow in the arms and legs is called "peripheral vascular disease." Peripheral vascular disease is a circulation disorder that affects blood vessels away from the heart. If you have an infection that will not heal because of poor blood flow, you are at risk for developing ulcers or gangrene (the death of tissue due to a lack of blood).
Types of Foot Problems
Foot pain is often caused by improper foot function. Improperly fitted shoes can worsen and, in some cases, cause foot problems.There are many types of foot problems that affect the heels, toes, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the foot.
The symptoms of foot problems may resemble other medical conditions and problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
What are heel spurs?
A heel spur is a bone growth on the heel bone, particularly on the underside forepart of the heel bone where the bone connects to the plantar fascia. If the plantar fascia, a long band of connecting tissue running from the heel to the ball of the foot, is over-stretched, it can cause a bone growth, or spur, to develop.
Other treatment options may include:
* wearing footwear (to increase bone and joint support)
* steroid injections (to help relieve inflammation)
* surgery (may be considered with a prolonged condition)
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 What is a corn?
Corns are yellowish, callus growths that develop on top of the toes. Corns develop because of abuse or stress. Often, a corn develops where a toe rubs against a shoe or another toe. Corns can cause extreme discomfort and pain. Treatment may include:
* applying pads around the corn area
* wearing larger shoes to comfortably fit your foot without rubbing
* surgery
What is a bunion?
A bunion is a protrusion of bone or tissue around a joint. Bunions may occur at the base of the great toe or at the base of the little toe, and often occur when the joint is stressed over a period of time. Treatment may include:
* wearing comfortable, well-fitting footwear (particularly shoes that conform to the shape of the foot and do not cause pressure areas)
* surgery (for pain, not for cosmetic purposes)
* applying pads to the affected area
What is Morton's neuroma?
Morton's neuroma is a build-up of benign (non-cancerous) tissue in the nerves running between the long bones of the foot. Morton's neuroma occurs when two bones rub together and squeeze the nerve between them.
What are hammertoes?
A hammertoe is a condition in which the toe buckles, causing the middle joint of the affected toe to poke out. This condition is often aggravated by tight-fitting shoes that put pressure on the hammertoe.Treatment for hammertoes may include:
* applying a toe pad specially positioned over the bony protrusion
* changing your footwear to accommodate the deformed toe
* surgical removal
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