Explore our top resources. Diabetic neuropathy and nerve compression damage Mental Agility Enhancer also lead nerfe hypoglycemia unawareness. When you have diabetes it Diabetoc important to take care of your feet. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy Diabetic sensory neuropathy Diabetic autonomic neuropathy Diabetic motor neuropathy. All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete.

Diabetic neuropathy and nerve compression -

See "Patient education: Glucose monitoring in diabetes Beyond the Basics ". If blood sugar levels are not adequately controlled with the current treatment regimen, a different regimen may be recommended. See "Patient education: Type 1 diabetes: Insulin treatment Beyond the Basics ".

See "Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Treatment Beyond the Basics ". Diet and exercise in type 2 diabetes — The American Diabetes Association recommends lifestyle interventions, specifically diet and exercise, as the first line in treating diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes [ 3 ].

The goal is to achieve and maintain a normal body weight with a nutrient-dense diet low in saturated fats and high in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. Exercise should consist of at least minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, such as brisk walking, at least three times per week.

Muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups are recommended two or more days per week.

Sedentary activities eg, sitting at a desk should be interrupted every 30 minutes by brief periods of standing, walking, or other physical activities [ 4 ]. Care for the feet — People with neuropathy do not always feel pain when there is a wound or injury on the foot. As a result, daily foot care is necessary to monitor for changes in the skin such as cracks or wounds , which can increase the risk of infection.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes have a comprehensive foot examination once per year and a visual examination of the feet at each visit usually every three to four months. Foot examinations are described in detail separately. See "Patient education: Foot care for people with diabetes Beyond the Basics ".

Control pain — Neuropathic pain can be difficult to control and can seriously affect your quality of life. Neuropathic pain is often worse at night, seriously disrupting sleep.

Fortunately, only a small percentage of people with diabetic neuropathy experience pain. Pain resolves without treatment in some people over a period of weeks to months, especially if the episode of pain developed after a sudden change in health eg, an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis, a significant weight loss, or a significant change in blood glucose control.

There are several medications that are useful for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy and have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA , including duloxetine and pregabalin. Other medications are also useful, including tricyclic medications eg, amitriptyline , gabapentin, tramadol, and alpha-lipoic acid [ 5 ].

Tricyclic antidepressants — There are several tricyclic antidepressants available for the treatment of chronic pain, including amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and desipramine. Clinical trials have shown that tricyclic antidepressant drugs are effective for patients with painful diabetic neuropathy.

The dose of tricyclic antidepressants used to treat diabetic neuropathy is typically much lower than that used to treat depression. These medications are usually taken at bedtime, starting with a low dose and gradually increasing over a period of several weeks.

People with heart disease should not take amitriptyline or nortriptyline. Tricyclic medications can be taken with gabapentin and pregabalin but should not be taken with duloxetine.

Side effects can include dry mouth, sleepiness, dizziness, and constipation. Duloxetine — Duloxetine is an antidepressant that is often effective in relieving pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. In short-term clinical trials, duloxetine was more effective than placebo. However, the long-term effectiveness and safety of duloxetine for diabetic neuropathy is uncertain [ 6 ].

There are no trials comparing duloxetine with other drugs for the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy. Duloxetine is usually taken by mouth once per day on a full stomach, although in some cases it is taken twice per day.

It should not be taken by people who take other antidepressant medications see 'Tricyclic antidepressants' above. Side effects can include nausea, sleepiness, dizziness, decreased appetite, and constipation. Gabapentin — Gabapentin is an anti-seizure medication.

It is usually taken by mouth three times per day. Side effects can include dizziness and confusion. Gabapentin can be taken with a tricyclic antidepressant or duloxetine. In some cases, gabapentin can be taken at night to prevent pain during sleep.

Pregabalin — Pregabalin is an anti-seizure medication, similar to gabapentin. Pregabalin is taken by mouth, starting at bedtime at a low dose and then gradually increasing to three times per day over a period of several weeks. Side effects can include dizziness, sleepiness, confusion, swelling in the feet and ankles, and weight gain.

It may be possible to become addicted to pregabalin, and changes in dosing should be monitored carefully. Pregabalin can be taken with duloxetine or tricyclic antidepressants but not with gabapentin.

Anesthetic drugs — Lidocaine is an anesthetic drug that may be recommended if other treatments have not improved pain. It is applied to the painful area in a patch, which slowly releases the medication over time. Patches should stay in place for no more than 12 hours in any hour period.

Alpha-lipoic acid — Alpha-lipoic acid ALA is an antioxidant medication. Several short-term trials showed that it was helpful in relieving pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. Thus, ALA may be recommended to people with diabetic neuropathy who do not improve with or who cannot tolerate other treatments.

However, longer-term studies are still needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness. In the United States, ALA is available without a prescription as a dietary supplement.

It is usually taken by mouth once per day. Your healthcare provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.

This article will be updated as needed on our web site www. Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for healthcare professionals, are also available. Some of the most relevant are listed below. Patient level information — UpToDate offers two types of patient education materials.

The Basics — The Basics patient education pieces answer the four or five key questions a patient might have about a given condition. These articles are best for patients who want a general overview and who prefer short, easy-to-read materials. Patient education: Type 2 diabetes The Basics Patient education: Nerve damage caused by diabetes The Basics Patient education: The ABCs of diabetes The Basics Patient education: Neuropathic pain The Basics Patient education: Diabetes and infections The Basics.

Beyond the Basics — Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed. These articles are best for patients who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical jargon. Patient education: Foot care for people with diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Glucose monitoring in diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 1 diabetes: Insulin treatment Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Treatment Beyond the Basics.

Professional level information — Professional level articles are designed to keep doctors and other health professionals up-to-date on the latest medical findings. These articles are thorough, long, and complex, and they contain multiple references to the research on which they are based.

Professional level articles are best for people who are comfortable with a lot of medical terminology and who want to read the same materials their doctors are reading.

Screening for diabetic polyneuropathy Diabetic autonomic neuropathy Diabetic autonomic neuropathy of the gastrointestinal tract Epidemiology and classification of diabetic neuropathy Evaluation of the diabetic foot Pathogenesis of diabetic polyneuropathy Management of diabetic neuropathy The following organizations also provide reliable health information.

Contributor disclosures are reviewed for conflicts of interest by the editorial group. When found, these are addressed by vetting through a multi-level review process, and through requirements for references to be provided to support the content.

Appropriately referenced content is required of all authors and must conform to UpToDate standards of evidence. Having high levels of sugar in the blood for a long time increases the risk of damage to the nerves.

High levels of triglycerides , a type of fat found in the blood, can also cause nerve damage. They will also check your past blood sugar levels to see how well your diabetes has been controlled.

Your doctor might refer you to a specialist doctor for further treatment or to another health professional. FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist. Treatment will depend on the nerves that are affected.

Treatment for symptoms related to nerve damage in the legs or arms may include the following. Talk to your doctor about treatments for problems with autonomic nerve damage such as low blood pressure on standing or digestive or sexual problems. The most important thing to do to prevent diabetic neuropathy is to control your blood sugar levels.

This means:. Read more about diabetes on the Diabetes Australia website. Everyone with diabetes has to be careful about their feet. Read more on the Diabetes Australia website. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Read more on Better Health Channel website. Neuropathy in diabetes also called diabetic nerve damage or diabetic neuropathy is temporary or permanent damage to nerve tissue in people with diabetes mellitus.

Symptoms depend on which nerves are affected. Read more on myDr website. Peripheral neuropathy is a common type of nerve damage that may be caused by underlying conditions. It is often associated with diabetes.

Read more on Brain Foundation website. Peripheral neuropathy is a possible side effect of cancer treatment. Find out what it is, what the symptoms are and how it can be managed here.

Read more on Cancer Council Australia website. When you have diabetes, you need to take care of your feet every day. Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet, leading to poor Read more on Diabetes Australia website.

The feet and legs are common sites for complications in people with diabetes, and for this reason good foot care is very important. The mouth is often overlooked as an area of the body with complications associated with diabetes.

Find out all about neuropathic pain, nerve pain, which is usually described as a shooting, stabbing or burning pain, with myDr. Diabetic nephropathy diabetic kidney disease is kidney damage that results from having diabetes.

Find out how to reduce your risk of developing this diabetes complication. Leg ache or leg pain is a symptom with many possible causes, that may involve muscles, nerves or blood vessels. Reproduced with permission from The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Diabetic neuropathies increase with age, duration of diabetes and level of control of diabetes. Read more on RACGP - The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners website. They are heterogeneous, with diverse clinical manifestations, and may be focal or diffuse.

The fructosamine test is a measurement of glycated protein which is formed by a nonenzymatic reaction of serum proteins with glucose. However, glycated album. Read more on Pathology Tests Explained website.

When prescribing pain relief for older patients it is important to remember that ageing can affect the pharmacokinetics of analgesic drugs. Read more on Australian Prescriber website. Healthdirect Australia is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering.

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Error: This is Diaabetic. Error: Not a valid value. Diabetic Diabetic neuropathy and nerve compression can occur Immune-boosting wellness practices you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage. It most often affects the nerves in your legs and feet. Diabetic Diabetic neuropathy and nerve compression is nerve damage BIA weight loss tracking is caused DDiabetic diabetes. Nerves are anf of special tissues that carry signals between your brain and other parts of your body. The signals. Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that typically affects the feet and legs and sometimes affects the hands and arms. Autonomic neuropathy is damage to nerves that control your internal organs.