Holiday Foot Care: What You Need To Know
Holidays can be a wonderful time for family and friends, but they can also be stressful. If you suffer from foot injuries, diabetes, or peripheral artery disease (PAD), you may want to be extra cautious during this time. It is likely that your feet are in pain right now because you have been running from place to place and sitting for long periods of time in crowded places like airports, buses, and shopping malls!
A feeling of numbness, tingling, burning, or prickling
It is possible for diabetics or peripheral neuropathy to cause numbness, tingling, burning, or prickling to last for more than a few minutes at a time in your feet. When blood sugar levels change rapidly, numbness and tingling are common symptoms of diabetes. The numbness in one or both feet that occurs only occasionally, but does not disappear after 15 minutes, may be caused by other health problems, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Venous insufficiency (a weakness in the veins)
- Neuropathy (damage to nerves)
Touch Sensitivity
In spite of the fact that you may not think of your feet as erogenous zones, they are very sensitive to touch. Diabetes, poor circulation and other medical conditions can cause your feet to become ticklish or sensitive to being touched. This can be caused by diabetics, poor circulation, and other medical conditions.
High blood sugar can further damage the nerves in your body if you have diabetes and nerve damage in your feet, so keeping your blood sugar levels under control is important. Your doctor can tell you what steps you can take to improve circulation in your legs and feet if you have poor circulation (for example, because you're overweight).
Hands and feet weakness
We've all heard about the "weakness in the hands and feet," unless you've never experienced it for yourself. There are a number of legitimate causes for weakness in your hands and feet, including nerve damage, diabetes, and vitamin deficiency. But they aren’t the only ones. A stroke could even cause your hands and feet to be weak!
You're right—a stroke doesn't always cause you to lose consciousness or lose control of one side of your body. If an artery leading to your brain is damaged, it will cause neurological symptoms like weakness or numbness anywhere along its path (this is why you may experience unusual muscle movements after being deprived of oxygen).
The loss of coordination
Nerve damage, a stroke, an infection, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, or a stroke may cause you to walk like a drunken sailor.
Extreme cases of muscle loss and paralysis
You can end up literally paralyzing your feet if you aren't careful. Muscle loss and paralysis are usually caused by being stuck in shoes that are too tight. The lower part of your foot should not be cut off from circulation if your shoes are too tight.
There are a number of ways you can help treat muscle loss or paralysis in one or both feet (or legs):
- If the affected limb(s) become too difficult to use, you may need an amputation
- During this stressful holiday season, your feet will benefit from a new pair of shoes after Christmas
You should see a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for more than a few days.
- Consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for more than a few days.
- Consult your doctor if your feet or toes feel numb, tingly, burning or prickling.
- The symptoms may indicate a more serious condition, so do not ignore them.
Final thoughts
It is best to see a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for more than a few days. It is possible to prevent yourself from becoming ill during the holiday season by eating well and getting enough sleep so your body has the energy to fight illness. If it is just for the holiday season, there are plenty of ways you can do so.
You can contact our office at 949-588-8833, or visit our website at https://www.ocfootdoctor.com. Our offices are in Laguna Hills, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest, Foothill Ranch, and Costa Mesa.
📲 949-588-8833
🏢 24331 El Toro Rd, Suite 370 Laguna Woods CA 92637
🏢Irvine Medical Arts Building 113 Waterworks Way, Suite 250 Irvine, CA 92618
🌐 https://www.ocfootdoctor.com/
The information contained above is intended for general reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professionals before starting any new treatment. Health information on this website MUST NOT be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of your doctor.
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