Having your foot fall asleep and no longer being able to feel anything is a nearly universal experience, but should you be worried if you notice persistent numbness in both feet?
If you’re experiencing numbness in your feet regularly, it may be a cause for concern because this is a symptom of diabetic neuropathy. The ramifications of not seeking treatment can be serious, and we’ll explain why.
Fortunately, the exceptional podiatry team at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers can evaluate you for neuropathy and design a treatment plan to keep you safe and your feet comfortable.
They’re not only committed to providing you with the best care, they’re attentive and wonderfully compassionate as well — never too busy to listen to your concerns and answer your questions.
If the nerves in your feet are damaged, you can suffer from numbness and a host of other symptoms that can quickly turn serious, especially if you’re living with diabetes.
Although numbness can come from nerve damage linked to a foot injury, a great many individuals with diabetes — about 50% of the estimated 38.4 million Americans who have diabetes — are very familiar with long-term loss of sensitivity.
Neuropathy is so prevalent in those with diabetes — especially in the legs and feet — because long-term uncontrolled blood sugar levels do great damage to the nerves of your peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system refers to nerves outside your brain and spinal cord.
Unfortunately, in addition to numbness, neuropathy can cause:
A person with neuropathy might also be unable to tell if the surface they’re standing on is extremely cold or hot. These symptoms aren’t only uncomfortable, they can limit your mobility significantly.
The most serious danger that foot numbness poses is that it makes you unaware if you injure your foot.
For example, you might sustain a small nick, scratch, or other injury, but without feeling it, the injury can easily become infected since it’s not being tended to and cleaned. Then, it may progress into a harder-to-treat and slow-to-heal skin ulcer.
Even scarier? An infection like this can quickly grow even more dire and cause tissue death, making an amputation necessary.
This is why it’s critical to seek treatment if you notice long-term numbness in your feet, or any of the other symptoms we’ve discussed.
The South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers team offers thorough clinical evaluation through a comprehensive diabetic foot exam and other tests, diagnoses, and advanced treatments for foot neuropathy.
If you’re diagnosed with neuropathy, your podiatrist’s top priority is keeping your feet in great shape — and this means partnering with the team so your home foot care can complement the clinical treatment they recommend.
Caring for your feet properly involves inspecting them daily and seeking care if you notice any injuries (even ones that seem insignificant), cleaning them well and drying them thoroughly every day, moisturizing them (except for between the toes), and wearing shoes that fit properly and socks made of soft fabric.
It’s also a good idea to exercise your toes by wiggling them periodically.
We’re happy to offer advanced wound care services, which can stem infection and prevent a small injury from getting out of control.
Sophisticated wound treatments include regenerative approaches like stem cell and platelet-rich fibrin therapy, which harness your body’s own healing powers to repair tissue, negative pressure wound therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Your podiatrist may advise you to consider one or a combination of these treatments:
Getting clarity on why you may be having foot numbness and other painful symptoms can help you pursue the best treatment. We have it here at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers.
Please contact our Royal Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, or Belle Glade office to get the neuropathy treatment you need and deserve, or use our convenient online booking tool today.
