Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetic neuropathy is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus.

If you are a victim, you may see the diabetic neuropathy symptoms, in which you experience a loss of nerve function due to a breakdown of nerve fibers. The exact type of nerve function you lose will be a result of which type of nerve is affected.

You have two different types of nerves is your body, motor nerves and sensory nerves.

If it is a sensory nerve that is affected, you will experience numbness, loss of feeling, or constant pain, burning or a tingling sensation. If you have motor nerves that are affected, the strength in your muscles may be affected. This could lead to weakness or a loss of use of those muscles.

There are two types if diabetic neuropathies: focal neuropathies and diffuse neuropathies.

Each type has its own method of treatment and progression rate. The diabetic neuropathy symptoms are also different for each type.

Focal neuropathies involve a single nerve or just a small group of nerves.

The nerve or nerves may have been damaged due to the loss of the supply of blood or the nerves may have become entrapped within swollen tissues. Neuropathies due to blood loss are typically sudden, located in just one part of the body and go away over time once blood flow has been restored. Neuropathies from nerve entrapment typically have a slow onset. There are diabetic neuropathy treatments for this type. This may require surgery to release the nerve. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a good example of a nerve entrapment neuropathy.

Unfortunately, the more common type of diabetic neuropathies are diffuse neuropathies.

Diffuse neuropathies affect both motor nerves and sensory nerves. These types of diabetic neuropathies affect both sides of the body at the same time and involve widespread loss of nerve functions. They have a gradual onset. Most importantly, these types of diabetic neuropathies are not reversible and there is no cure. They can also affect the autonomic nervous system. This is the nervous system that controls your heart, intestines, and how you control your ability to urinate.

What can you do to avoid these serious complications of diabetic neuropathy?

It is important to keep the level of glucose in your blood within the range recommended by a doctor or your endocrinologist. This is the best way to avoid or at least delay the beginning and decrease the severity of diabetic neuropathies.