Neuropathy is a difficulty of diabetes that can cause problems throughout the body. Diabetes can affect the nerves that control movement, feeling, and other functions.
If you take diabetes, you can develop nerve glitches at any time. Occasionally, neuropathy can be the first sign of diabetes. Important nerve problems (clinical neuropathy) can grow within the first 10 years after a diabetes diagnosis. The danger of developing neuropathy surges as the disease progresses. About half of people with diabetes have about form of neuropathy.
What Causes Diabetic Neuropathy?
While the exact causes of diabetic neuropathy are unknown, several issues may contribute to the condition, including:
- High blood sugar (glucose) levels. High blood sugar causes chemical vicissitudes in the nerves and affects their ability to transmit signals. It can too damage the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves.
- Metabolic factors. In addition to glucose levels, high levels of triglycerides and cholesterol are also associated with an increased risk of neuropathy. Patients who are heavy or obese are also at increased risk of developing neuropathy.
- Hereditary factors. Certain genetic traits can make approximately people more susceptible to nerve diseases than others.
What are the symptoms and kinds of diabetic neuropathy?
Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy be contingent on the type of neuropathy and the quantity and nature of the nerves affected.
Focal neuropathy (diabetic mononeuropathy)
This type of diabetic neuropathy touches one nerve at a time, and symptoms depend on which nerve is affected. For example, it can affect the nerves in your chest (thoracic nerves) and cause numbness and pain in your chest wall that feels like angina, a heart attack, or appendicitis.
Other types of focal neuropathy can cause:
- Pain in your thighs.
- Plain pain in your lower back or pelvis.
- Pain in your chest, stomach, or flank.
- Pain behind your eyes.
- Inability to focus.
- Double vision.
- Paralysis on one side of your face.
- Hearing problems.
Diabetic Polyneuropathy
Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) affects several peripheral sensory and motor nerves that branch from the spinal cord to the arms, hands, legs, and feet. Typically, the longest nerves (those that run from the spine to the feet) are most commonly affected.
Postpartum depression can cause:
- Unusual feelings (paresthesias) such as tingling, burning, or itching.
- Emotionlessness and pain in the needles, legs, and feet.
- Weakness of the muscles in the feet and hands.
- Shaking pain or cramping.
- Extreme sensitivity to touch.
- Unresponsiveness to pain or temperature changes.
- Loss of balance or coordination and difficulty portable on uneven surfaces.
Because it inhibits the ability to detect problems, diabetic peripheral neuropathy can put a person at risk for foot and toe injuries and lead to the development of ulcers, sores, and chronic foot infections.
Some mild cases of diabetic peripheral neuropathy may go ignored for years, but worsening nerve damage can cause severe pain and make even the simplest daily activities, such as sleeping or walking, extremely uncomfortable.
If left untreated, diabetic peripheral neuropathy can lead to additional nerve damage in other parts of the body, such as the eyes, digestive area, and sexual organs. It is also the leading cause of amputations, with about one case occurring every five and a half minutes in the United States.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy has two separate kinds: diabetic autonomic neuropathy and proximal neuropathy.
Autonomic Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic autonomic neuropathy chiefly affects the autonomic nerves that supply blood to the internal organs, processes, and schemes of the heart, digestive system, sexual organs, urinary tract, and sweat glands.
This type of diabetic polyneuropathy can cause symptoms such as:
- Persistent nausea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea, constipation.
- Sweating abnormalities.
- Sexual dysfunction.
- Digestive problems.
- Low blood pressure.
- Altered perception of pain.
- Low blood sugar.
Proximal neuropathy (diabetic amyotrophy)
Many names know proximal neuropathy, and is a relatively rare kind of diabetic neuropathy that occurs in near 1% of patients with type 2 diabetes. It tends to touch older people and can strike those with anew diagnosed or well-controlled diabetes.
The main symptom is nerve pain that begins in the higher thigh of one leg and can affect the hip and lower back. Weight loss is a symptom that occurs in about 35% of patients by proximal neuropathy, and about 18% knowledge weakness in the affected area in addition to the pain. In rare cases, proximal neuropathy can occur in the arm.
As the disease progresses over months, the pain can spread and affect the upper and lower parts of both legs. After several months, symptoms tend to improve, but patients may experience lasting disability, including foot drop and recurrence of symptoms.
Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy can look like other settings or medical glitches. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.
How is diabetic neuropathy diagnosed?
Early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy stretches patients the best accidental of receiving adequate treatment. However, because not all foot or limb pain is diabetic neuropathy, an accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure appropriate treatment.
Diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy is based on history, physical examination, and additional laboratory tests. Your doctor may:
- Monitor muscle strength and reflexes.
- Monitor muscle sensitivity to position, vibration, temperature, and light touch.
- Order additional tests, such as:
- Ultrasound to determine how well shares of the urinary area are functioning.
- Electromyography to control how muscles respond to electrical impulses.
- Nerve conduction studies to check the flow of electrical current through a nerve.
- Skin biopsies to assess the innervation of cutaneous nerves.
- Nerve and muscle biopsies for histopathologic evaluation.
A complete evaluation, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, combined with a more advanced assessment, helps the physician rule out other causes and identify the root problem.
What is the treatment for diabetic neuropathy?
Treatment for diabetic neuropathy involves two steps: implementing existence changes and sometimes medications to achieve optimal control of diabetes and symptomatic control of pain and other complications.
Controlling blood sugar
Controlling blood sugar cannot reverse nerve damage, but it can prevent further damage from occurring. Your doctor will give you specific goals for blood sugar levels. To control these levels, you should eat a fit diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates. When you eat carbohydrates, try to choose foods that are higher in fibre, avoiding chips and soda.
Regular workout can help keep blood sugar under control by increasing insulin sensitivity, which means you will need to take less insulin each day. Getting enough sleep is also essential, as we often crave carbohydrate-rich foods when overtired.
Improving other risk factors
While controlling blood sugar is essential, it may not be enough. It is also imperative to control other risk factors, such as tall triglycerides or cholesterol, treat high blood pressure, and quit smoking. Daily aerobic exercise has been shown to protect nerves and improve outcomes for neuropathy. Losing weight is also vital if a patient is obese or overweight.
Pain Management and Other Complications
Diabetic neuropathy can cause chronic pain and problems such as gastrointestinal difficulties, dizziness and weakness, and urinary or sexual problems. There are a diversity of treatments that can help, including:
- Pain medications.
- Anticonvulsant medications.
- Topical creams.
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy.
- Relaxation therapy.
- Biofeedback therapy.
Treatment will vary depending on your exact symptoms and the severity of your neuropathy.
It is also essential to check your feet daily for glitches such as ingrowing toenails, blisters, and sores, especially if you consume peripheral neuropathy. You may not feel these conditions developing because of the numbness associated with neuropathy. Custody your feet clean and covered can help protect them from injury and prevent other complications, such as infections.
Conclusion
Diabetic neuropathy is a serious and shared complication of diabetes that occurs when long-term high blood sugar levels damage nerves throughout the body. This can cause many symptoms, from pain and coldness in the extremities to problems with digestion, heart rhythm, and other bodily functions. Early diagnosis and correct control of blood glucose levels are critical to slowing disease progression and improving quality of life. Understanding diabetic neuropathy allows people to take proactive steps to manage their diabetes and work closely with their healthcare professionals to prevent or minimize nerve damage.