Diabetes causes nerve damage. High blood glucose levels harm nerves throughout the body. Diabetes often affects nerves in the feet and legs.
Diabetic neuropathy causes leg, foot, and hand pain and numbness. It may affect the cardiovascular, blood vessel, kidney, and genitourinary systems. Some have milder symptoms. Diabetic neuropathy can cause extreme agony and death.
50% of diabetics develop neuropathy. Blood sugar control and a healthy lifestyle can prevent or slow diabetic neuropathy.
Signs/Symptoms
Diabetic neuropathy has four symptoms.
Symptoms vary by kind and nerves affected. Most symptoms develop slowly. After substantial nerve injury, symptoms may appear.
1—Peripheral neuropathy.
Distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy is another term. This neuropathy affects most diabetics. Nighttime amplifies peripheral neuropathy symptoms:
A. Heat/cold insensitivity
A. Burning/tingling sensations
B. Cramps and discomfort
“D” wins. Muscular atrophy is common.
E. Sensitivity to the slightest touch; some find bedsheets uncomfortably heavy.
F. infections, ulcers, and bone and joint degeneration affect the feet.
Autonomic neuropathy
The autonomic nerve system controls sex, digestive, bladder, and urine functions. Diabetes damages nerves in several ways.
A. Low blood sugar remains unnoticed since people don’t know its hazards (hypoglycemia unawareness)
When you stand up, your blood pressure drops, making you dizzy or possibly faint (orthostatic hypotension)
D. Bowel/bladder issues
D. Gastroparesis causes delayed stomach emptying, bloating, nausea, and weight gain.
E: Swallowing problems.
F. Changes in ocular focus.
H. Excessive sweating is common (increased or decreased)
Sexual response issues include vaginal dryness and erectile dysfunction.
Third, proximal nerve injury (diabetic polyradiculopathy)
This neuropathy affects thigh, hip, buttock, and leg nerves. Stomach and chest may be affected. Symptoms usually start on one side and move across, but they can start elsewhere. Proximal neuropathy may cause:
A. Sharp back ache (hips, thighs),
B: Thigh weakness.
Difficult to stand up (C).
D. Abdominal/chest pain
Single-Nerve Damage (focal neuropathy)
Mononeuropathy affects one nerve. Head, chest, arm, or leg nerves could be involved.
Mononeuropathy symptoms include:
A. Double vision/focus issues
B. Your face is half-paralyzed.
B. Painless hand or finger numbness or tingling
D. Weak hands that drop things
Foot/shin inflammation E.
F. Weakness makes foot forepart raising difficult (foot drop)
G. Upper thigh soreness.
Seeing a doctor
Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
A. Infected or unhealed foot wounds
B. Hand or foot pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that disrupts everyday life or sleep.
C. Bowel, bladder, or sexual changes
D. Dizziness and fainting occur frequently.
The American Diabetes Association recommends screening for diabetic neuropathy one year after type 2 diabetes diagnosis and five years after type 1 diabetes diagnosis (ADA). Annual screenings are advised.
