That headline is misleading. Your feet aren’t a “blood sugar meter,” and foot symptoms alone cannot diagnose diabetes.
High blood glucose can eventually damage nerves and blood vessels, which may cause foot-related problems. Possible symptoms include:
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Tingling or “pins and needles”
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Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain/heat
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Burning or unusual pain
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Increased sensitivity to touch
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Dry or cracked skin
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Cuts or blisters that heal slowly
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Recurrent foot infections
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Changes in skin color or temperature
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Foot swelling
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Muscle weakness or changes in foot shape
But these symptoms can have many other causes, so they don’t necessarily mean diabetes.
How to actually check
If you’re concerned about diabetes, the appropriate tests are fasting blood glucose and/or HbA1c (A1C). Someone with persistent symptoms or risk factors should discuss testing with a healthcare professional.
If a person with diabetes develops a foot wound that isn’t healing, spreading redness/warmth, significant swelling, blackened skin, or fever, they should seek medical care promptly.
