Diabetes and Neuropathies

Nerve damage can occur when high blood glucose injures the nerve fibers. No part of the body is safe from this potential complication. All of our vital systems like the heart and digestion can be affected by this nerve damage. It is possible to not even know you have nerve damage until it has progressed to an advanced stage.

Nerve damage is very commonplace affecting nearly 60% - 70% of all diabetics. Even though nerve damage can happen at any time you run more of a risk the longer you have diabetes and the older you are. The greatest risk of nerve damage occurs in individuals who have had diabetes for 25 years or longer. Besides age and the number of years with diabetes, other risk factors are high blood pressure, being overweight, high blood fat levels and not being able to control your blood sugar.

nerve damage is most likely caused by a combination of factors although no one really knows for certain. Below are some possibilities:

* Autoimmune disorder - when the body attacks its own cells
* Metabolic issues - high glucose and fat levels and a long history of diabetes
* Way of life - smoking or drinking alcohol
* Genetic - it could make you more prone to nerve damage

The symptoms of nerve damage vary depending on which nerves have been damaged. You may not experience any symptoms or you may have the most common signs like numbness and pain in your legs and feet as well as in the arms and hands. The symptoms can be so subtle that you may not even realize that you have any. On the other hand, for some individuals the pain comes on suddenly and is severe especially for those with focal neuropathy.

Below are some of the signs to watch for:

* Numbness, pain and a tingling sensation in your legs, hands, feet and arms
* Vomiting, constipation, diarrhea or nausea
* Being dizzy, faint or light-headed
* Trouble focusing or pain behind one eye
* Sexual problems
* Bladder dysfunction
* Increased heart rate
* Weakness in the legs

The following shows the four different types of nerve damage and how they affect the body:

* Autonomic neuropathy - affects the digestive system, sex organs, heart, lungs and urinary system. If your autonomic nervous system is damaged problems can arise with your lungs, eyes, heart, digestion, ballder control, etc. Your symptoms will be dictated by which area of the autonomic nervous system is damaged.
* Peripheral Neuropathy - the nerves which are impacted are the ones in your hands, legs, arms and feet. The nerves that are damaged the most often are the ones found in the legs as they are the longest.
* Focal neuropathy - it can appear suddenly and be painful as well as cause muscle weakness. The head is the area typically affected by focal neuropathy but it can also impact your torso and your legs.
* Proximal neuropathy - affects the legs, hips, buttocks and thighs causing pain as well as muscle weakness. This will affect your ability to move around and is most often found the elderly.

Both a physical exam and a neurological exam are necessary to determine if you have any nerve damage. Your doctor will look at your range of motion and check to see if there are any areas which are painful in addition to giving you the routine physical checkup. Other tests that will be performed revolve around how you react to various stimuli like vibration, touch and temperature changes.

Maintaining safe blood glucose levels is the best treatment for nerve damage. This is actually the only means you have which will keep this disorder from getting worse. Although medication can be prescribed they only help with the symptoms.