{
  "id": 17968923,
  "title": "Diabetic foot ulcers can cause severe pain despite numbness, patients report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/diabetic-foot-ulcers-can-cause-severe-pain-despite-numbness-patients",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-03T13:40:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-diabetic-foot-ulcers-severe-pain.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Diabetic foot ulcers can cause severe pain in patients who often experience numbness in their feet, a condition highlighted in a doctoral thesis from the University of Gothenburg. These ulcers, which can develop in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, are typically found in areas subjected to pressure like the toes, forefoot, and heel. Diabetes-related foot ulcers often result from impaired blood circulation and nerve damage.\n\nPatients report that the pain can be unpredictable, ranging from a mild ache to severe pain akin to being cut with a knife. This pain can strike at any time, leading to sleep disturbances and difficulty in planning daily activities due to the uncertainty of when the pain will occur. Despite this, healthcare staff are generally well-received by patients, yet they often do not inquire about pain or seem hesitant to address it.\n\nSome patients have considered amputation as a way to escape the persistent pain, though it remains one of the most feared outcomes of untreated ulcers. Anneli Ringblom, a district nurse with a Ph.D. in nursing science, emphasizes the need for better pain assessment and relief strategies for diabetic foot ulcer patients, whose condition significantly limits their daily lives and personal relationships.",
  "summary": "Diabetes-related foot ulcers are often associated with numbness in the feet. According to patients, the fact that these ulcers can also cause severe and unpredictable pain does not receive sufficient attention within the health care system, a doctoral thesis from the University of Gothenburg reports.",
  "key_points": [
    "Diabetic foot ulcers cause severe pain in patients with numbness.",
    "Pain unpredictable, ranging from mild ache to knife-like severity.",
    "Patients fear amputation, seeking better pain management strategies."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}