What is an infection?

An infection occurs when the body is unable to protect itself from micro-organisms (such as bacteria, viruses and fungi). If you have diabetes, you may be more likely to get an infection if your diabetes is poorly controlled or you have neuropathy. This is because you may not realise you have developed an infection until it is already widespread and harder to treat.

The signs of an infection on the skin are:

Colour	White skin will usually be bright pink or red; brown or black skin may become darker
Pain	The infected area may throb and be very painful (though this may not be the case if you have neuropathy)
Swelling	The infected area may be puffy and appear swollen
Movement	The pain and swelling may mean that it becomes difficult to move the infected area (though this may not be the case if you have neuropathy)
Temperature	The infected area may feel hot to the touch
Pus	The area may be weeping a yellow/green matter called pus; this consists of dead cells and micro-organisms

If any of these signs are present, arrange an immediate appointment with your GP, diabetes nurse or podiatrist. If you cannot get an appointment for the same day, go to your nearest hospital Accident and Emergency department.

In the meantime:

bathe your foot in a bowl of warm water
cover the area with a sterile dressing (these are readily available from the local pharmacist and should be kept in the first-aid kit at home)
try to take the pressure off the area
make sure you wear suitable footwear and try not to do anything that might hurt or irritate your foot.

Reviewed: February 2012
Next review: August 2013