A “diabetic foot” refers to a group of complications that affect the feet of people with diabetes. It includes:

• Peripheral neuropathy – reduced sensation in the feet
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD) – poor blood circulation
• Foot ulcers – open wounds, often slow to heal
• Infections – bacterial or fungal, sometimes deep
• Charcot foot – bone and joint breakdown
• Gangrene – tissue death due to loss of blood supply
• Amputation – in severe or untreated cases

The main concern is reduced sensation. Without pain as a warning sign, a small blister or shoe rub can turn into a serious wound. Continued walking on an insensitive foot delays healing and increases the risk of complications.

One key fact: About 15% of people with diabetes will develop a foot or toe ulcer.

In Central Florida, long humid summers and frequent storms add to the risk. Excess moisture can soften skin, cause fungal infections, and lead to skin breakdown, especially when feet are not properly cleaned and dried. Proper diabetic foot care is essential in this environment.

As mentioned earlier, people with diabetes often don’t feel foot problems right away because nerve damage (neuropathy) can dull pain and other warning signs. Symptoms may show up in different ways depending on which systems are affected.

Sensory (Nerve) Symptoms

• Numbness
• Tingling or burning
• “Pins and needles” feeling
• Sensation of wearing socks when barefoot
• Loss of protective sensation (not feeling touch or pressure)

Vascular (Blood Flow) Symptoms

• Cold feet
• Pale or bluish skin
• Wounds or cuts that heal slowly
• Reduced hair growth on toes or feet
• Cramping in calves or feet when walking

Dermatologic (Skin and Nail) Symptoms

• New blisters or cracks
• Thick calluses, bleeding under callus
• Drainage or foot odor
• Redness, swelling, or warmth
• Open sores (diabetic ulcers) that don’t heal

Any sore that isn’t clearly healing is a concern.

Structural (Bone and Joint) Symptoms

• Toe deformities (claw or hammer toes)
• Bunions or high-pressure areas
• Changes in foot shape
• Red, hot, swollen foot without an open wound — this may be active Charcot foot, which requires urgent care.

The most notable symptoms for bunion include:

• Visible bump on the inside of the foot at the base of the big toe, often firm and painful
• Big toe angling toward the second toe, sometimes overlapping it
• Achy, sharp, or burning pain, especially when walking or wearing shoes
• Redness and swelling around the big toe joint
• Stiffness or difficulty bending the big toe; possible catching sensation
• Corns or calluses between the toes or on the bunion from rubbing
• Numbness or tingling near the bunion due to nerve pressure

Treatment depends on the cause, such as pressure, infection, poor circulation, or joint collapse. Each must be addressed to heal the wound and protect the foot.

Main treatments include:

• Wound care – Clean wound, apply moisture-balanced dressing, and monitor closely
• Offloading – Use non-removable knee-high devices to relieve pressure on ulcers
• Debridement – Remove dead tissue and callus to lower pressure and infection risk
• Infection management – Treat confirmed infections with antibiotics or surgery as needed
• Blood flow assessment – Check for PAD; refer for revascularization if healing stalls
• HBOT – May help in select ischemic ulcers when standard care fails
• Advanced products – Used when ulcers don’t improve with basic care
• Topical care – Use based on wound needs; avoid honey, herbs, or phenytoin
• Surgery – Needed for infected bone, abscess drainage, or pressure-causing deformities

You should seek medical care if you notice any of the following:

• Any open ulcer
• Suspected infection, bone involvement, or abscess
• Suspected Charcot changes
• Recurring diabetic ulcers
• A wound that is not improving on schedule

The ADA Standards highlight urgent referral for any open ulceration or unexplained swelling, erythema, or increased skin temperature. 

If you need expert diabetic foot treatment, don’t wait. Book an appointment with a trusted diabetes foot doctor at Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC. 

We serve Winter Haven, Lakeland, and Davenport, FL, and offer same-day appointments for urgent foot concerns. Call today to get the care you need.