The nervous system is made up of different parts, but nerves are present in every portion of it. Nerves allow individuals to move and feel sensations like pain and hot or cold temperatures. They also enable activities like the pumping of the heart, the act of breathing, digestion and the urge to urinate. Individuals with diabetes may suffer from problems due to nerve damage.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that is caused by problems with a hormone called insulin. This hormone is produced by the pancreas and is needed to remove glucose, or sugar, from the blood and transfer it to cells in the body. Types 1 and 2 diabetes are the more common forms of this disorder. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn't produce any insulin, while in type 2 diabetes, the body does not use the insulin produced by the pancreas properly. Due to the issues with insulin, a person who suffers from diabetes will have high blood glucose levels, and this can lead to other health complications.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy--nerve damage--is a complication of diabetes. MayoClinic.com explains that too much sugar in the blood can damage the small blood vessels that supply the nerves with blood and lead to nerve damage. The risk of developing nerve damage is higher for people who have had diabetes for a long time. Diabetic patients with poor blood sugar control are also at risk for diabetic neuropathy.
Symptoms
Diabetic neuropathy can affect nerves in all parts of the body, and symptoms of this disease depend on the affected nerves. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says that some diabetics may show no symptoms of nerve damage, while others show only mild symptoms. Nerve damage in diabetes progresses slowly over a period of time, so there may be no obvious symptoms until severe damage has occurred. Early symptoms of diabetic neuropathy are tingling, pain or numbness in the hands, fingers, feet, toes and legs.
Types
The four types of diabetic neuropathy are peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, amyotropic neuropathy and mononeuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common of the four, and it affects the legs and hands. Autonomic neuropathy affects organs like the heart, digestive tract, bladder and sex organs, with symptoms like diarrhea, erectile dysfunction, constipation and the inability to control the bladder. In amyotropic neuropathy, the nerves in the hip and shoulder area are affected, and this causes symptoms like weak thighs or hip pain. Mononeuropathy refers nerve damage in specific nerves such as in the eyes, ears, legs, face or chest.
Treatment
Diabetic neuropathy can cause loss of sensation in the feet, therefore wounds and cuts may go unnoticed and develop into ulcers that don't heal, which can lead to the amputation of limbs. There is no cure for diabetic nerve damage, but the goals of treatment are to prevent further nerve damage, soothe pain, manage complications and restore function to affected parts of the body. Good blood glucose control helps prevent further damage to the nerves.
