Diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough insulin, or cannot correctly use the insulin that it produces.
This article explores the different ways in which diabetes can cause leg pain. Diabetes can have this effect through nerve damage, poor circulation, and infection.
The article also looks at possible complications of the causes of leg pain, before detailing some treatment options.
Nerve damage
Diabetes can cause nerve damage. Doctors call this nerve damage diabetic neuropathy. According to a 2019 paper, at least half of all people with diabetes will develop this complication.
With diabetic neuropathy, people experience a gradual loss of sensory function, which arises from gradual damage to the nerves. This loss of sensory function usually begins in the lower extremities, such as the feet or legs.
Scientists don’t yet know why diabetes has this effect, or why it only affects certain people.
Diabetic neuropathy can be painful. Neuropathic pain affects between 30–40% of people with diabetic neuropathy. This pain typically feels like a burning sensation. It is more common in females than in males.
Poor circulation
People with diabetes are prone to reduced blood flow.
This is because people with diabetes cannot process glucose as well as people who do not have this condition. This can lead to fat accumulating within blood vessels.
As these fatty deposits take up more space, they allow less blood to flow through the blood vessels.
For this reason, scientists suggest that diabetes is a risk factor for peripheral arterial disease. This form of poor circulation often affects the feet and legs. When it does, people can experience pain in the thigh or calf. This pain can arise or worsen during exercise, including walking.
Infection
People with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing serious infections, most notably in the foot. The infections themselves can cause pain.
Many people with diabetic infections require amputations (cutting the affected limb), which can lead to painful sensations through accidental nerve damage.
According to a 2023 review, several reasons make people with diabetes prone to serious infections.
In the first instance, the reduced blood flow that diabetes causes can make it harder for the body to defend itself. This is because the blood carries many important infection-fighting cells around the body.
Reduced blood flow makes it harder for these infection-fighting cells to do their job. Also, reduced blood flow means that medications — such as antibiotics — cannot easily reach the site of an infection.
Diabetic neuropathy also plays a role in diabetic infections. This is partly because nerves can guide blood to areas where it is most needed. Nerve damage makes this more difficult.
Also, nerve damage leads to a reduction in sweat and oil glands. This makes skin drier and more cracked, allowing infections an easier route into the body.
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Possible complications
Poor circulation, nerve damage, and infection can all lead to leg pain in people with diabetes. But these complications of diabetes can cause further complications. For instance, a 2023 paper states that reduced blood flow can lead to the following health problems:
- ulceration
- heart attack
- stroke
- blood clots
- erectile dysfunction
As for nerve damage, its complications depend on the affected nerves. These are some potential complications of nerve damage in people with diabetes:
- weakness
- feeling dizzy
- fainting
- nausea and vomiting
- difficulty swallowing
- acid reflux
- bladder problems
- sexual difficulties
The complications of infections in diabetes depend on the underlying infection. People with diabetes are more prone to serious infections, which can cause severe ulceration and gangrene (death of body tissue). In many cases, amputation (cutting the affected limb) may be necessary.
Aside from these complications, leg pain in diabetes can make it harder to exercise or complete everyday activities. It can also be tiring and psychologically challenging to experience chronic pain.
Diabetes management
As the American Diabetes Association (ADA) explains, type 1 diabetes requires insulin treatment. This is sometimes necessary for type 2 diabetes. The ADA lists the following types of insulin:
- insulin aspart (Fiasp, NovoLog)
- insulin lispro (Admelog, Humalog, Lyumjev)
- human regular (Humulin R, Novolin R, Velosulin R)
- degludec (Tresiba)
- detemir (Levemir)
- glargine (Basaglar, Lantus)
Other medications can also be helpful for treating type 2 diabetes. According to the ADA, these medications include:
- metformin (Glucophage)
- alogliptin (Nesina)
- dulaglutide (Trulicity)
- lixisenatide (Adlyxin)
- injectable semaglutide (Ozempic)
- bexagliflozin (Brenzavvy)
- canagliflozin (Invokana)
- glyburide (Micronase, Glynase, and Diabeta).
- rosiglitazone (Avandia)
- pioglitazone (Actos)
Managing diabetes is important for managing diabetic nerve damage and reduced blood flow. Medications can also help with the pain. These include:
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Home remedies
There are no clinically proven home remedies for diabetes. But some lifestyle tips can help manage this condition. These tips include eating a balanced diet, not smoking, and exercising rgularly.
Summary
Diabetes is when the body does not make enough insulin, or doesn’t use its insulin correctly.
This can cause a wide range of complications, including reduced blood flow and nerve damage. In people with diabetes, nerve damage can cause pain in the legs. The same is true of reduced blood flow, especially when exercising.
Nerve damage and reduced blood flow make people with diabetes susceptible to serious foot infections.
Healthcare professionals can prescribe medications to manage diabetes or help with chronic pain.