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Diabetes Headaches and Leg Pain

Diabetes can affect the entire body. Far from being helpless, you can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes-related complications, such as neuropathy. Neuropathy, or nerve damage from diabetes, is present in half of all diabetics, and its symptoms can include leg pain or headaches.

  1. The Onset of Neuropathy

    • According to the American Diabetes Association, neuropathy occurs as a result of excess blood glucose, which can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels that nourish your nerves. There are available treatments to help neuropathy, and keeping blood glucose levels on target will also keep damage from occurring or worsening.

    Peripheral Neuropathy in the Feet

    • Peripheral neuropathy is responsible for causing the feet to tingle, hurt, become numb, or experience extremes in temperature. It can also cause weakness in the leg muscles. Pain in the leg, however, can be a result of femoral neuropathy.

    Femoral Neuropathy and the Legs

    • Femoral neuropathy occurs in Type 2 diabetics and often develops with pain in one thigh. Muscle weakness follows the pain, and from there the muscles are in danger of becoming useless.

    Neuropathy and Headaches

    • Two types of neuropathy that can cause headaches are cranial and focal neuropathy. Cranial neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves connected to the brain, and can affect eyesight, eye movement, taste, and hearing. Focal neuropathy causes sudden weakness or pain by affecting groups of nerves.

    Combating Neuropathy

    • All of these types of neuropathy can be prevented or controlled with day-to-day care that keeps your blood glucose levels on target. Exercising, taking your medications regularly, and planning your meals carefully can all help you reach and maintain the target blood-glucose range your doctor recommends.

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