Injury and subsequent damage to the nerves due to raised blood sugar is termed “diabetic neuropathy” (DN). Diabetic neuropathy is a serious diabetes complication that may affect as many as 50% of people with diabetes. It is preventable and can be managed with consistent blood sugar control and a healthy lifestyle.
One or more forms of following DN can co-exist in diabetics:
Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes.
Tingling or burning sensation.
Sharp pains or cramps.
Muscle weakness.
Extreme sensitivity to touch, for some people, even a bedsheet's weight can be painful.
Serious foot problems, such as ulcers, infections, and bone and joint damage.
Autonomic neuropathy: The autonomic nervous system controls blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, eyes, bladder, digestive system and sex organs. Diabetes can affect nerves in any of these areas, possibly causing signs and symptoms including:
Drop in blood pressure with change in position (orthostatic hypotension).
Bladder or bowel problems.
Slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis), causing nausea, vomiting, sensation of fullness and loss of appetite.
Difficulty swallowing.
Changes in the way the eyes adjust from light to dark or far to near.
Increased or decreased sweating.
Problems with sexual response, such as vaginal dryness in women and erectile dysfunction in men.
Severe pain in the buttock, hip or thigh.
Weak and shrinking thigh muscles.
Difficulty rising from sitting position.
Chest or abdominal wall pain.
Mononeuropathy (focal neuropathy): Refers to single, specific nerve damage leading to:
Difficulty focusing or double vision.
Paralysis of one side of the face.
Numbness or tingling in hands or fingers.
Weakness in the hand that may result in dropping things.
Pain in the shin or foot.
Weakness causing difficulty lifting the front part of the foot (foot drop).
Proximal neuropathy: Affected areas include hips, thighs, chest or abdomen. Symptoms are usually on one side of the body, but may spread to the other side.
A lack of awareness that blood sugar levels are low (hypoglycaemia unawareness).
Peripheral neuropathy: Also known as distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy. It affects feet and legs first followed by hands and arms. Symptoms can be worse at night which include:
