Foot ailments are common in people with diabetes. They happen over time when high blood sugar damages the nerves and blood vessels in the feet. This nerve damage, called Diabetic Neuropathy, can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of feeling in your feet.

If you can't feel pain, you may not know when you have a cut, blister, or ulcer (open sore) on your foot. A wound like that could get infected. This infection may not heal because the damaged blood vessels cause poor blood flow in your feet, leading to gangrene. You may need an amputation if you have gangrene or a foot ulcer that does not improve with treatment. Your muscle, skin, and other tissues may start to die.