The Hardships of Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetes is a disease that causes your blood glucose levels to increase drastically. The glucose is obtained from the food you eat, and it is converted into sugar that enters your bloodstream. Our body produces insulin, a hormone that stimulates this sugar’s uptake by the body’s cells for energy production. However, diabetes can make this a complex process. In type 1 diabetes, your body does not produce insulin.
Moreover, the more common type 2 diabetes leads to ineffective use of the body’s insulin. In both cases, you may suffer from numerous problems. One of the most recognizable complications diabetes can make you suffer is diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetic neuropathy is a particular kind of nerve damage caused by diabetes. If you have diabetes, your body’s condition worsens over time. High levels of sugar and fats in the blood are dangerous and can damage the nerves. The symptoms you suffer can be variable because you may have different kinds of neuropathies. There are four types of diabetic neuropathies: peripheral, autonomic, proximal, and focal neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy concerns the difficulties that emerge from damage to the nerves that transmit messages to and from the brain and exchange messages between the spinal cord and the body’s extremities. The peripheral nerves are a complex network that branches out throughout the body. This system connects the brain and the spinal cord to your internal organs, muscles, and skin. These nerves emerge from the spinal cord and are arranged in lines known as dermatomes. Diabetic nerve damage usually affects one or more dermatomes, which can cut off communication between the brain and other parts of the body. Hence, muscle movement and normal functioning of the body’s limbs is restricted.
When diabetes is poorly controlled, it explicitly increases the chances of developing autonomic neuropathy amongst other nerve damage. The nerves that are damaged in this case are the ones that have control over involuntary body functions. The damage impedes the information transmitted to and from the brain, other internal organs, and the autonomic nervous system, such as the heart, bodily vessels, and sweat glands. Therefore, you can experience several complications such as increased blood pressure, loss of body temperature control, affected sexual function, and bladder dysfunction.
High blood sugar and raised levels of triglycerides in the blood from diabetes can degrade the nerves and weaken the blood vessels that support them, leading to focal neuropathies. Focal neuropathy is also known as mononeuropathy because it typically affects a single nerve or a nerve group, called mononeuropathy multiplex. This type of nerve complication is relatively less common when compared to peripheral and autonomic neuropathies. Entrapments are the most prevalent form of focal neuropathy, occurring when nerves are compressed in narrow bone and tissue passages. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common types of entrapment that may occur.
Lastly, proximal neuropathy is an unusual and disabling type of nerve damage that may occur in the hips, buttocks, or thighs. This type of nerve complication usually affects only one side of the body and only affects the other side in extremely rare circumstances. In the origin of this neuropathy, you may experience weakness in your thigh muscles and loss of reflex action in the knees. Likewise, during the latter stages, the defect becomes widespread throughout the lower limbs, and you may also experience a deterioration of reflexes in the ankles. Proximal neuropathy starts so quickly that you will probably be able to pinpoint the day during diagnosis.
Anyone with diabetes can develop diabetic neuropathy. However, various risk factors make a person more likely to suffer nerve damage. The longer a person has had diabetes, the greater the chance of developing diabetic neuropathy. A diabetic’s history is also a significant factor if the person has had a poorly managed blood glucose level in the past. Even though each neuropathy’s definite cause has not been determined, it is understood that high levels of sugar in the blood weaken the nerves over time and hinder their ability to transmit impulses properly.
You may suffer from a host of various symptoms due to this disease. Symptoms usually include dizziness, burning sensations, tingling, weakness in the hands and feet that interferes with daily activities, changes in urination, digestion, and sexual function. If you are experiencing any of these, it is best to contact a doctor and get an appointment. The longer you wait, the more critical your situation can become.
Following the accurate diagnosis, a diabetic neuropathy treatment follows. Since the body can’t naturally repair nerves, the damage caused by this disease can’t be reversed. Nevertheless, researchers are doing their level best to investigate methods for effective treatment.
Even though you can’t reverse the damage done by this disease, there are still lots of ways to help prevent the situation from getting any worse. Managing your blood glucose and fats levels is particularly effective because it keeps your body clear of further damage. You can effortlessly regulate your blood sugar concentration by abstaining from sugary foods, eating high-fiber foods, healthy-fat foods, following a plant-based diet, exercising regularly, monitoring your blood glucose, and taking insulin with other oral medication.
It is also a smart move to keep your lower limbs in check. Nerves in this region are easily damaged and can lead to diminished sensations. You can pay attention to your feet and legs by regular checkups, visiting a podiatrist, and avoid walking barefoot.
If you experience severe symptoms, the most reliable and effective medication is prescribed. These include Pregabalin (Lyrica), Duloxetine (Cymbalta), Gabapentin (Neurontin), Venlafaxine (Effexor), and Amitriptyline. Treatment by topical medications such as Capsaicin (Qutenza) may also be recommended.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the treatments available, it is always advisable to prevent your diabetic conditions from getting out of control. You should maintain your condition and take necessary measures by cooperating with your doctor and using the prescribed medication.
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