Diabetes - I’m worried about my foot – is it serious?

I’m worried about my foot – is it serious?

A diabetic foot emergency is when damage to your foot means it needs emergency attention.

This is more likely to happen if you’ve been told your level of risk for getting foot problems is high. This means that a minor problem with your feet could quickly become something very serious.

Foot emergencies can also happen if you already have a serious foot problem, such as an ulcer. If you have diabetes, your foot condition can get worse very quickly – within a matter of hours.

You should have a proper look at your feet every day. If you notice any changes, or that you feel unwell you should do something about it straight away.

You should pay close attention to any of the following danger signs when checking your feet:

• Is there any new pain or throbbing?
• Are there any new areas of broken skin or wounds?
• Does your foot feel hotter than usual?
• Are there any new areas of redness, heat or swelling?
• Is any redness spreading up your foot / leg?
• Is there any increase weeping or bleeding?
• Is there a new smell from your foot?
• If you check your blood sugars, are they high and you’re not sure why?
• Do you have any flu-like symptoms (cold, shivery, tired, generally unwell)?

What to do if you notice a problem

If you see something wrong, it’s really important to:

Take the weight off your foot

Contact your foot team or GP immediately

Go to your nearest out-of-hours healthcare service or call NHS 111 if your GP or foot protection team aren’t available.

It’s really important to try and sort it out before it gets any worse - no matter how small the change. A serious foot problem for some people can lead to amputation very quickly.