Neuropathy Due to Diabetes

Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage or dysfunction. Approximately 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes suffer from some degree of neuropathy, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

Causes

• Diabetic neuropathy is caused by excessive levels of glucose, which damage nerve cells, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Types of Diabetic Neuropathy

• Peripheral diabetic neuropathy affects the peripheral nervous system or the nerves that carry messages to the legs and arms. Autonomic diabetic neuropathy affects the nerves that lead to the eyes, heart, lungs, bladder and sex organs.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of peripheral diabetic neuropathy include numbness in the feet, tingling or prickling that starts in the toes and then spreads over the top of the foot, sharp pain that feels like electricity and is worse at night, loss of balance or coordination, and muscle weakness. Depending on the nerves that are affected, autonomic neuropathy produces symptoms like urinary incontinence, belching, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, increased or decreased sweating, and difficulty adjusting vision from light to dark.

Risks

• One of the most serious risks posed by diabetic neuropathy is the risk of tissue death in the feet following an injury, which may require amputation of the foot or leg, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Treatment

• Although diabetic neuropathy cannot be cured, the progression of the condition can be controlled by exercising good control over blood sugars by using insulin or oral medications as prescribed by your doctor, exercising, and following a diet plan created by a nutritionist or registered dietitian.