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The response to the question below was authored by Marc Mitnick DPM

swollen ankle and diabetes

by glenda
(austin Tx)

I have type 2 diabetes...I am 62 yrs old...female....It has almost been a month since my left leg and ankle swelled up very bad...I have kept my leg elevated on and off all day...the swelling in the leg went down to almost normal. The ankle did not! After a month, my ankle feels like it has turned to stone...very rigid! It hurts and it itches sometimes....the ankle and part of the foot is red...there is no warmth in the affected area and I have not had any accidents! can you tell me if this is serious or if it would be ok to see a doctor in late January..(i have an appointment on Jan 22) I really hope you can shed some light on the matter as it is increasingly hard to walk and I lose my balance very often. Thank you


RESPONSE

Hi Glenda,

Where do I begin? You are a type 2 diabetic, but I do not know if you are a controlled diabetic, nor do I really know anything else about you such as whether or not you are overweight, or perhaps a smoker, so I will consider the worst case scenario.
Swelling in one leg can occur for any number of reasons, ranging from simple venous insufficiency where the veins that bring blood back up to the heart are no longer working properly so the blood ends up pooling in the foot and ankle. This condition is somewhat common in aging individuals and as such is not
cause for concern. In general, the foot and ankle and perhaps the lower leg will swell as the day progresses, but upon waking up in the morning the limb will appear almost normal only to swell again during the course of the day.
On the other end of the spectrum is the possibility you have developed a DVT, deep venous thrombosis which is a blood clot. These can have serious consequences if not treated immediately.
Compounding this problem is the fact that you are diabetic and over time diabetes if not properly controlled can have a devastating effect on the circulation to the feet, primarily the arterial circulation which is blood flow into the foot.
The problem with any type of poor return of blood flow to the heart is that such a condition can also compromise the overall circulation to the foot which as you can imagine, not a good situation in any individual, but is particularly worse in a diabetic, more so if you also happen to be a smoker.
The best advice I could ever give you would be to see a doctor immediately. It is safe to say that if you have been suffering from this condition for almost a month, it is not going away on its own. This coupled with the fact that you are diabetic , controlled or not, makes for a potentially dangerous situation.

Marc Mitnick DPM
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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Mayo Clinic

Johns Hopkins Medicine

MedlinePlus

Arthritis Foundation

University of Rochester Medical Center

Harvard Health

Drugs.com

American Academy of Pediatrics

Penn State Medical Center

National Institutes of Health

Columbia University Department of Rehabilitation

ScienceDirect

Stanford Health Care

Illinois Bone and Joint Institute

Mount Sinai Hospital

Institute for Chronic Pain

University of Florida Health

American Family Physician

Cedars-Sinai

University of Maryland Medical Center
If you happen to live in the New York - New Jersey area and would like to visit our office

Dr. Marc Mitnick

151 Summit Ave.
Summit, NJ 07901
908-522-0761


To make an appointment online or for directions to our office click Dr. Marc Mitnick.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is purely informational in nature. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. This information is not a substitute for advice from a medical professional. Please consult your healthcare provider for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The information presented here may be subject to errors and omissions.


SITE LAST UPDATED: MAY 2026




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Unknown location

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Poland
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South Carolina
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location unknown


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anonymous



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location unknown



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New Jersey



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Evansville, IA



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San Diego, CA



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Colorado

Wonderful advice

by: Anonymous

This is the best site for foot problem info.

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by: Max

location unknown
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Canada
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location unknown
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location unknown
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North Carolina
Many Thanks Dr Marc!
Thank you for your response. It sounds like a good plan to me. He did not cut the wart out first ...

KG

location unknown

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Florida
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location unknown
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New Jersey


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a mom

location unknown


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Bellevue, WA


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location unknown

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