It is common for people with diabetes to develop poor blood circulation in their feet. Often, this is accompanied by diabetic neuropathy that occurs due to nerve damage in the feet. This is characterized by tingling sensation, foot pain, or burning sensation in the feet. These conditions along with poor immunity lead to many diabetic foot infections like plantar warts.
Diabetes and feet – Plantar warts diagnosis
Many factors like poor blood circulation, diabetic neuropathy, reduced immunity, and changes in the skin lead to diabetic foot infections. In diabetes, changes in the skin like skin dryness, peeling or cracking, and lack of moisture are common. These conditions combined with poor diabetes control increase the risk of diabetic foot infections.
When it comes to plantar warts, it is a viral infection that is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). It is contracted due to direct contact and can spread to other parts of the body if scratched or picked.
Once a person experiences plantar warts symptoms like foot pain, change in the skin color, lumpy areas and pinpoint dark spots, a diabetes doctor or a podiatrist would conduct a detailed physical examination of the feet along with other blood works like fasting blood glucose test, postprandial blood glucose test and HbA1c in order to assess the status of the patient’s diabetes.
Other tests include:
- Examination of the lesion
- Cutting the edges of the warts in order to check for dark spots (which are indicators of tiny blood clots in the capillaries)
- Conducting a shave biopsy for further lab tests
