Living with diabetes requires being mindful about many aspects of health, but foot care requires particular consideration. At Dallas Pain Institute, our pain management specialists frequently treat diabetic neuropathy—an ongoing nerve condition that ranges from mild numbness to debilitating pain in the feet. Understanding its nature is the first step in effective treatment and avoiding serious complications.
Diabetics Who Experience Foot Pain
Diabetic foot pain typically develops over time as rising blood sugar levels wreak havoc on nerve fibers in your extremities. Unfortunately, for many North Dallas residents living with diabetes, its symptoms often follow an alarming progression: from pain in one extremity to severe swelling across all extremities and eventually loss of mobility altogether.
Early Signs of Foot Pain
To start off, you might notice intermittent tingling or numbness in your toes or the balls of your feet, making walking uncomfortable or impossible at times. Although these sensations may seem minor at first, they should not be ignored since they could be an early indicator that requires professional diagnosis and evaluation of pain symptoms. Patients commonly describe this feeling as “pins and needles” or as if wearing invisible socks.
Middle Stage: Burning & Shooting Pain
As neuropathy progresses, occasional numbness may turn into more persistent burning sensations or shooting pains that disrupt sleep, mobility and quality of life – often described by our North Dallas pain clinics (Rowlett, Sherman, Forney & Greenville, TX) patients as walking on hot coals or receiving electric shocks through their feet.
Advanced Stage: Loss of Sensation
One of the greatest dangers associated with diabetes is loss of sensation. Without pain to alert them of cuts, blisters, or burns they might sustain without notice, leading to infections which could become serious quickly due to diabetes’s healing difficulties.
Why Diabetics Need Specialized Foot Care Services
At our pain clinics in Rowlett, Sherman, Greenville & Forney, TX, we take diabetic nerve pain seriously as the stakes associated with it can be particularly high.
People living with diabetes are 15 times more likely to need lower limb amputations; nearly 85% of diabetic-related amputations start as foot ulcers; proper pain management and preventive care can significantly lower amputation risk by up to 85%.
Our North Dallas pain management doctors use advanced diagnostic methods to assess nerve damage and create customized treatment plans tailored specifically to each of their symptoms.
Multi-Modal Pain Management Approaches
Effective treatment for diabetic foot pain requires taking an integrated approach:
#1. Medication Management
Our pain specialists may prescribe various medications designed to manage nerve pain, including:
Anticonvulsants such as gabapentin or pregabalin are often effective at soothing overactive nerves; antidepressants have also proven useful in managing neuropathies;
Topical treatments offer targeted relief without systemic adverse side effects.
#2. Advanced Interventional Techniques
For patients suffering from severe or persistent pain, our North Dallas pain center offers:
#3. Comprehensive Lifestyle Management & Preventative Health Strategies
Successful pain control requires comprehensive lifestyle management strategies such as:
- Blood sugar regulation to avoid further nerve damage
- Physical therapy sessions for strength and mobility maintenance
- Nutritional guidance designed to promote overall nerve health
- Adhere to proper foot hygiene as recommended by the US Pain Foundation. Read more here.
At Dallas Pain Institute, our mission is to assist diabetic foot patients effectively manage their discomfort and avoid complications. Our comprehensive approach combines advanced pain relief techniques with preventative strategies.
Download the US Pain Foundation Free Diabetic Foot Care Guide
Check out the US Pain Foundation’s “Diabetic Foot Care: 6 Steps to Healthy Feet” available as a complimentary resource. This illustrated guide contains essential knowledge that anyone living with diabetes must possess regarding proper foot care practices. Simply click here and download a PDF version.
Diabetic Foot Pain Treatment in North Dallas, TX
Do not let diabetic foot pain interfere with your mobility or quality of life. Contact our pain management clinics now for a comprehensive assessment, and start the journey toward effective pain relief and healthier feet!
Rowlett, TX: 7700 Lakeview Pkwy, Suite 100B, Rowlett, TX 75088. (469) 653-0222
Sherman, TX: 1001 E Sara Swamy Dr., Suite 220, Sherman, TX 75090. (903) 892-1999
Greenville, TX: 4400 IH 30, Suite 300, Greenville, TX 75402. (469) 653-0222
Forney, TX: 763 E US Hwy 80, Ste 240, Forney, TX 75126. (469) 653-0222