DIABETIC NEUROPATHY
Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes. High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout your body. Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in your legs and feet.
Depending on the affected nerves, diabetic neuropathy symptoms can range from pain and numbness in your legs and feet to problems with your digestive system, urinary tract, blood vessels and heart. Some people have mild symptoms. But for others, diabetic neuropathy can be quite painful and disabling.
Diabetic neuropathy is a serious diabetes complication that may affect as many as 50% of people with diabetes. But you can often prevent diabetic neuropathy or slow its progress with consistent blood sugar management and a healthy lifestyle.
Symptoms
There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy. You can have one type or more than one type of neuropathy.
Your symptoms will depend on the type you have and which nerves are affected. Usually, symptoms develop gradually. You may not notice anything is wrong until considerable nerve damage has occurred.
Peripheral neuropathy
This type of neuropathy may also be called distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy. It's the most common type of diabetic neuropathy. It affects the feet and legs first, followed by the hands and arms. Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are often worse at night, and may include:
Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes
Tingling or burning sensation
Sharp pains or cramps
Increased sensitivity to touch — for some people, even a bedsheet's weight can be painful
Serious foot problems, such as ulcers, infections, and bone and joint pain
Autonomic neuropathy
The autonomic nervous system controls your heart, bladder, stomach, intestines, sex organs and eyes. Diabetes can affect nerves in any of these areas, possibly causing:
A lack of awareness that blood sugar levels are low (hypoglycemia unawareness)
Bladder or bowel problems
Slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis), causing nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
Changes in the way your eyes adjust from light to dark
Decreased sexual response
Proximal neuropathy (diabetic polyradiculopathy)
This type of neuropathy — also called diabetic amyotrophy — often affects nerves in the thighs, hips, buttocks or legs. It can also affect the abdominal and chest area. Symptoms are usually on one side of the body, but may spread to the other side. You may have:
Severe pain in a hip and thigh or buttock
Eventual weak and shrinking thigh muscles
Difficulty rising from a sitting position
Severe stomach pain
Mononeuropathy (focal neuropathy)
There are two types of mononeuropathy — cranial and peripheral. Mononeuropathy refers to damage to a specific nerve. Mononeuropathy may also lead to:
Difficulty focusing or double vision
Aching behind one eye
Paralysis on one side of your face (Bell's palsy)
Numbness or tingling in your hand or fingers, except your pinkie (little finger)
Weakness in your hand that may cause you to drop things
When to see a doctor
Call your doctor for an appointment if you have:
A cut or sore on your foot that is infected or won't heal
Burning, tingling, weakness or pain in your hands or feet that interferes with daily activities or sleep
Changes in digestion, urination or sexual function
Dizziness and fainting
The American Diabetes Association recommends that screening for diabetic neuropathy begin immediately after someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and five years after diagnosis for someone with type 1 diabetes. After that, screening is recommended annually.
Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes. High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout your body. Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in your legs and feet.
Depending on the affected nerves, diabetic neuropathy symptoms can range from pain and numbness in your legs and feet to problems with your digestive system, urinary tract, blood vessels and heart. Some people have mild symptoms. But for others, diabetic neuropathy can be quite painful and disabling.
Diabetic neuropathy is a serious diabetes complication that may affect as many as 50% of people with diabetes. But you can often prevent diabetic neuropathy or slow its progress with consistent blood sugar management and a healthy lifestyle.
Symptoms
There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy. You can have one type or more than one type of neuropathy.
Your symptoms will depend on the type you have and which nerves are affected. Usually, symptoms develop gradually. You may not notice anything is wrong until considerable nerve damage has occurred.
Peripheral neuropathy
This type of neuropathy may also be called distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy. It's the most common type of diabetic neuropathy. It affects the feet and legs first, followed by the hands and arms. Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are often worse at night, and may include:
Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes
Tingling or burning sensation
Sharp pains or cramps
Increased sensitivity to touch — for some people, even a bedsheet's weight can be painful
Serious foot problems, such as ulcers, infections, and bone and joint pain
Autonomic neuropathy
The autonomic nervous system controls your heart, bladder, stomach, intestines, sex organs and eyes. Diabetes can affect nerves in any of these areas, possibly causing:
A lack of awareness that blood sugar levels are low (hypoglycemia unawareness)
Bladder or bowel problems
Slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis), causing nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
Changes in the way your eyes adjust from light to dark
Decreased sexual response
Proximal neuropathy (diabetic polyradiculopathy)
This type of neuropathy — also called diabetic amyotrophy — often affects nerves in the thighs, hips, buttocks or legs. It can also affect the abdominal and chest area. Symptoms are usually on one side of the body, but may spread to the other side. You may have:
Severe pain in a hip and thigh or buttock
Eventual weak and shrinking thigh muscles
Difficulty rising from a sitting position
Severe stomach pain
Mononeuropathy (focal neuropathy)
There are two types of mononeuropathy — cranial and peripheral. Mononeuropathy refers to damage to a specific nerve. Mononeuropathy may also lead to:
Difficulty focusing or double vision
Aching behind one eye
Paralysis on one side of your face (Bell's palsy)
Numbness or tingling in your hand or fingers, except your pinkie (little finger)
Weakness in your hand that may cause you to drop things
When to see a doctor
Call your doctor for an appointment if you have:
A cut or sore on your foot that is infected or won't heal
Burning, tingling, weakness or pain in your hands or feet that interferes with daily activities or sleep
Changes in digestion, urination or sexual function
Dizziness and fainting
The American Diabetes Association recommends that screening for diabetic neuropathy begin immediately after someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and five years after diagnosis for someone with type 1 diabetes. After that, screening is recommended annually.
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