Over time, diabetes can quietly change two things in your feet: the nerves that tell you something's wrong, and the circulation that helps you heal. Neither change announces itself. This means problems can build up without pain to warn you. The good news: the warning signs are easy to spot once you know them. Here are the five things we look for on every diabetic visit.
1. Numbness, tingling or burning
Pins and needles, walking on cotton wool, cold feet that aren't cold to the touch, or burning that's worse at night. This is often the first sign of nerve changes. It matters because feet that can't feel pain can't warn you about a rubbing shoe or a blister. If it's new, mention it to your GP or diabetes nurse, and start checking your feet by eye every day.
2. Cuts or blisters that are slow to heal
A small cut should look visibly better within a few days. If a week passes and it still looks raw or weepy, healing is running slow. Slow-healing wounds are how most serious diabetic foot problems begin. Keep it clean and covered, stay off it, and get it looked at promptly rather than waiting to see.
3. Colour or temperature changes
Compare your feet with each other. One foot noticeably redder, paler, bluish, warmer or colder than the other is worth attention. Colour and temperature are a window on circulation. A change that appears and stays, especially with pain, needs a professional opinion soon.
4. Swelling that doesn't settle
Ankles that puff up on a hot afternoon and settle overnight are common enough. Swelling that's still there in the morning, keeps returning, or affects one foot much more than the other is different. Don't put it down to age. Get it checked.
5. Hard skin or corns hiding trouble underneath
In diabetes, a patch of callus isn't just cosmetic. It presses into the foot with every step and can conceal damage building underneath. Never treat it yourself with blades or medicated corn plasters. On diabetic skin they do real harm. Have it reduced professionally.
When it's urgent
Same-day help from your GP, NHS 111 or A&E: a new ulcer or open wound, redness spreading up the foot, black or dark tissue, or a foot problem with fever. These don't wait for a routine appointment.
Make checking easy
- Look over both feet daily. A hand mirror on the floor works if bending is hard.
- Wash and dry carefully, especially between the toes; moisturise everywhere except between them.
- Shake shoes out before putting them on, and never walk barefoot outside.
- Keep your NHS annual review and add an annual professional check between reviews.
Your first diabetic foot check at home is , normally . It covers sensation, circulation, skin and nails, and comes with a plain-English written summary you can share with your GP.