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.

Blausen 0311 DiabeticNeuropathy

Signs and symptoms

Depending on the affected nerves, symptoms of diabetic neuropathy can range from pain and numbness in your legs and feet to problems with your digestive system, urinary tract, heart, and blood vessels. Diabetic neuropathy is a serious diabetes complication that may affect as many as 50% of people with diabetes.

Causes

The cause of diabetic neuropathy is not completely understood, but it's likely due to a combination of factors:

• High blood sugar levels, over a long period of time, can damage nerves. This is more likely if the blood sugar levels are not well controlled.
• Inflammation in the nerves caused by an autoimmune response. This is thought to occur in people with type 1 diabetes.
• Genetic factors that make some people more susceptible to nerve disease
• Smoking and alcohol abuse, which damage both nerves and blood vessels and significantly increase the risk of infections.

Treatment

The primary treatment for diabetic neuropathy is to bring blood glucose levels within the normal range to help prevent further nerve damage. Regular exercise, such as walking or swimming, can help to improve muscle strength, increase circulation, and reduce neuropathy pain.

See also

• Diabetes
• Nerve damage
• Blood sugar
• Inflammation

References

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