Warning Signs Your Feet Show For Common Deficiencies and Conditions, According to Experts

Dec 02, 2024
News

If you feel extra cold on your feet and toes or have unheal sores, there could be vascular disorders due type 2 diabetes

Giving a closer look at your feet can tell you a lot about your overall health and well-being. Doctors say unless you regularly get foot massages and pedicures, most people probably do not give their feet much attention or even a second glance. But, if you take a closer look, your feet and toes could reveal signs of an underlying medical condition.
According to experts, it just takes around 10 seconds to determine if someone is healthy or may have health problems. And so, when your feet send you a warning sign, do not ignore it.

Potential warning signs your feet may be telling you

Cold feet and toes

According to doctors, if you feel extra cold on your feet and toes, there could be vascular disorders due to:
  • Familial tendencies
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Peripheral Artery Disorder
  • Blood circulation problems
Experts say restricted or reduced blood flow from PAD can lead to your feet or toes feeling colder than the rest of your body. Many times, due to excessive smoking, your feet may face poor blood circulation, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood supply to tissues.

Numbness

Numbness and tingling in your feet can be caused due to:
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Neurological conditions
If the tingling feeling and your limbs falling asleep are too frequent and last longer than a few minutes, you must see your doctor immediately.

Swelling

According to experts, swelling in your feet or ankles indicates high blood pressure levels. However, a few other reasons could be:
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Kidney failure
  • Liver failure
  • Dark, itchy skin around legs and feet
If you are experiencing dark, itchy, and flaky skin around your legs and feet, you may be suffering from athlete’s foot fungus. According to experts, if not treated well in time, the condition can lead to infection and inflammation around and between your toes, causing painful blisters.
It can also spread to other areas of your body.

Sores and ulcers

Whenever you have a sore that takes a lot of time to heal or becomes worse, it can be a sign of type 2 diabetes. According to experts, foot ulcers can also happen due to:
  • Venous insufficiency
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma
  • Malignant melanoma
  • PAD
  • Raynaud’s disease
Doctors say if your feet and toes begin to turn white, you may be having Raynaud’s disease, which causes your blood vessels to overreact. Mostly those who have this condition also suffer from symptoms like:
  • Toes turning white
  • Feeling numb
  • Feet turning blue and then red before returning to natural skin colour
The cause of Raynaud’s disease is still a mystery, though it is most common in women who live in colder climates. Doctors say it can also be triggered by stress.

Pitted toenails

If you feel that there are little holes in the toenails, it can be a sign of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Doctors say it is important to treat it early or else it can spread to your legs and cause immense pain and discomfort.
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