Heel Pain & Farting Diabetes Problems?

by Narendra Rajpathak





Question


Hello Doctor,


Am at 39 yes old diabetic man since Jan 2011 and not taking any medicine. Am on Exercise and diet control, checking Blood sugar levels once in 2 months.


My weight was 67 Kg before diabetic in 2011 and now it got to 62-63 varies .


Last readings are
Fasting - 141 then 121 then 89
PP - 284- 145-132


Last 2 Hba1c Test results(which gives last 3 month sugar control Test) - 6.8 and now 6.1


I do exercise as 2 km walk in the morning and problem is am sitting at office almost 6 -7 hours.


Queries:


1. My Toe side/last part of Foot (Taach /Heel side) started paining ... even now I have changed my shoes also still going on. Is that part of Diabetic problem ?


2. Am eating and getting so bad odor and farting a lot /Gas trouble . How can we digest food with no medicine /natural medicine..?


If I do more exercise I feel very low ... (to reduce to gas trouble ...). I eat 4 times a day - morning breakfast - lunch - evening snack - dinner. Am totally veg and no alcohol.


3. Is it good idea to start treatment? Or


Lets wait for more ...


Thanks a lot .,


—Narendra Rajpathak





Quick Answer


Heel pain is not automatically a diabetes complication. Mechanical causes are common, but neuropathy and circulation should be checked.


Excess gas is more often related to fermentable foods, legumes, rapid fiber increases, lactose intolerance, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, or another digestive condition—not “intestinal candidiasis.”


Your HbA1c improved from 6.8% to 6.1%, but fasting glucose of 141 and post-meal glucose of 284 are high. Arrange a diabetes review now rather than waiting indefinitely.




Answer by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc



How Well Controlled Is the Diabetes?


HbA1c 6.8% is in the diabetes range when confirmed. HbA1c 6.1% is better, but fasting 141 and post-meal 284 show significant highs.


Testing once every two months is too infrequent to explain the pattern. Ask for current laboratory HbA1c and fasting glucose, then use a short structured log. See our blood-test guide.



Should Treatment Be Started?


Because diabetes has been diagnosed and some readings are high, medication should be discussed now rather than delayed without a reason.


The choice depends on HbA1c, kidney and liver health, weight, cardiovascular risk, symptoms, and preferences. Metformin is one option, but should not be started from an online answer. See our treatment guide.



What Could Cause the Heel Pain?



  • Plantar fasciitis: pain under the heel, often worst with the first steps after waking or after sitting

  • Achilles tendinopathy: pain at the back of the heel

  • Footwear pressure, callus, heel-pad irritation, or overuse

  • Neuropathy: burning, tingling, electric pain, numbness, or altered sensation

  • Circulation problems: coldness, color change, weak pulses, slow-healing wounds, or calf pain when walking


Sitting does not prove poor circulation. Break it up about every 30 minutes with brief movement when safe.



What Foot Examination Is Needed?


A clinician or podiatrist should inspect the skin, footwear, heel and ankle; check pulses; and assess sensation. People with diabetes need a comprehensive foot assessment at least annually.


See our neuropathy guide and diabetes foot guide.




Seek Prompt Foot Care For



  • A red, hot, swollen foot or sudden shape change

  • An ulcer, blister, cut, drainage, or blackened skin

  • Fever, spreading redness, or severe tenderness

  • New numbness, weakness, or inability to bear weight

  • A cold, pale, blue, or suddenly painful foot




What Can Help Until the Examination?



  • Use well-fitting supportive shoes and clean socks.

  • Avoid walking barefoot and reduce activities that worsen pain.

  • Try gentle calf and plantar-fascia stretching if there is no injury, ulcer, or acute swelling.

  • Inspect both feet daily.


Do not soak diabetic feet in baking-soda water. Soaking may damage skin, and neuropathy may prevent recognition of heat. Do not massage a red, swollen, injured, or ulcerated area.



Why Is There So Much Gas?


Gas forms when intestinal bacteria ferment incompletely digested carbohydrates. Beans, lentils, chickpeas, onions, garlic, cabbage, cauliflower, high-fiber foods, or sugar alcohols may trigger symptoms.


Other possibilities include lactose intolerance, constipation, celiac disease, IBS, or bacterial overgrowth. A routine stool test for “gastrointestinal candidiasis” is not standard for ordinary gas.




Practical Gas-Reduction Plan



  • Keep a food-and-symptom diary for one to two weeks.

  • Eat slowly and use smaller meals.

  • Avoid fizzy drinks, chewing gum, and drinking through a straw.

  • Increase fiber gradually.

  • Soak dried beans, discard the water, rinse, and cook thoroughly.

  • Test suspected foods one at a time.



Probiotics are not automatically required. Persistent symptoms should be evaluated rather than treated randomly.



When Does Gas Need Investigation?


Seek review for gas with pain, vomiting, blood or black stool, persistent bowel changes, fever, anemia, weight loss, or nighttime symptoms.



Why Do You Feel “Very Low” With Exercise?


Without glucose-lowering medicine, exercise-related hypoglycemia is less likely, but symptoms should still be checked.


Stop and measure glucose during symptoms. If below 70 mg/dL, follow a clinician-approved plan. If normal, consider dehydration, inadequate food, low blood pressure, anemia, illness, or excessive intensity. Recurrent dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, or breathlessness needs review.



Recommended Next Steps



  1. Book a diabetes review and foot examination.

  2. Repeat HbA1c, fasting glucose, kidney tests, urine albumin, lipids, and blood pressure.

  3. Use a short structured glucose log instead of rare testing.

  4. Discuss medication rather than waiting without a follow-up plan.

  5. Use a food diary to identify gas triggers and seek care for red flags.



Remember: heel pain is not automatically neuropathy or poor circulation. Gas is usually dietary or gastrointestinal, not candidiasis. The improved HbA1c is encouraging, but prior highs mean treatment and monitoring should be reviewed now.




Written by: Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc, Family Physician

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ruden Cakoni, MD, Endocrinologist

Last medically reviewed: August 5, 2026


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References




Safety note: Persistent heel pain, high glucose, or exercise weakness requires medical assessment.


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