Diabetes &
Nerve Damage
Learn the steps to avoid developing diabetic neuropathy
Diabetes can damage all parts of your body, including your nerves. This is called neuropathy. Neuropathy is partly due to the effects of blood sugar.
Peripheral Neuropathy is the most common nervous system complication associated with diabetes. It affects your legs, hand and arms. Neuropathy has to do with your sense of touch, and your nerves in these parts will either be more sensitive or less sensitive, the way you feel depends on what nerves are affected.
Less sensitive nerves do not send feelings of pain, heat or cold to the brain as easily. There may be a feeling of numbness or pins and needles in your feet. You may injure your feet and not be aware, due to the decreased sensitivity to pain. You must take extra care not to injure your feet and you must check your feet daily to see if an injury has occurred.
Your nerves may also develop increased sensitivity at times. When this happens, you may feel burning, numbness or tingling, or shooting pains in your legs and feet. You may not be able to tolerate the touch of clothing or sheets on your legs and feet.
Neuropathy can also affect the nerves that control sexual functions. This may result in impotence for men and vaginal dryness or difficulty to achieve orgasms for women. Discuss these symptoms with your doctor.
Common treatments for diabetic neuropathy:
- Maintain healthy blood sugar levels
- Medications prescribed by your physician
- Walk to decrease leg pains
- Relaxation, exercise, acupuncture, hypnosis
- Pain clinics
- Natural Pain Relief Cream with Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
- Take care of your feet and report any signs of infection or foot injury immediately
- Have a podiatrist care for your feet
