We avoid using tertiary references. Apr 11, Written By The Healthline Un Team. Keep your Nerve damage in diabetes clean Alternate-day fasting and autophagy viabetes. You are also more likely Consistent power output develop dakage damage if you have diabetes and are overweight have high blood pressure have high cholesterol have advanced kidney disease drink too many alcoholic drinks smoke Research also suggests that certain genes may make people more likely to develop diabetic neuropathy. Symptoms often do not begin until many years after diabetes has been diagnosed.

Nerve damage in diabetes -

Finding and treating foot problems early can lower your chances of developing a serious infection. Learn how to care for your feet , including how to check them yourself and what kind of shoes to wear.

Nerve damage can cause muscles in your digestive tract to slow down or stop working. Learn more about how diabetes can affect your digestion. Autonomic nerve damage affects your heart, bladder, stomach, intestines, sex organs, or eyes.

Symptoms may include:. Proximal nerve damage affects nerves in the thighs, hips, buttocks, or legs. It can also affect the stomach and chest area. Focal nerve damage affects single nerves, most often in your hand, head, torso, or leg.

Keeping your blood sugar as close to your target range as possible is the best way to help prevent or delay nerve damage. Other things you can do are:. Most people with diabetes can prevent serious nerve damage complications.

Stay on schedule with all of your self-checks, exams, and appointments with a diabetes care schedule. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Español Other Languages.

Diabetes and Nerve Damage. Español Spanish. Minus Related Pages. Nerve damage can affect your hands, feet, legs, and arms. Nerve Damage and Digestion. Risk Factors for Nerve Damage. Anyone with diabetes can develop nerve damage, but these factors increase your risk: Blood sugar levels that are hard to manage.

Having diabetes for a long time, especially if your blood sugar is often higher than your target levels. Being overweight. Being older than Having high blood pressure. Having high cholesterol. Learn More. This form of neuropathy is more common in adults over 50 years old with type 2 diabetes and is diagnosed more often in men.

It often affects the hips, buttocks, or thighs. You may experience sudden and sometimes severe pain. Muscle weakness in your legs may make it difficult to stand up without assistance. Diabetic amyotrophy usually affects only one side of the body.

After the onset of symptoms, they usually get worse and then eventually begin to improve slowly. Most people recover within a few years, even without treatment. This occurs most often in your hand, head, torso, or leg. It appears suddenly and is usually very painful. Like proximal neuropathy, most focal neuropathies go away in a few weeks or months and leave no lasting damage.

The most common type is carpal tunnel syndrome. Diabetic neuropathy is caused by high blood sugar levels sustained over a long period of time. Other factors can lead to nerve damage such as:.

Low levels of vitamin B12 can also lead to neuropathy. Metformin, a common medication used to manage diabetes, can decrease levels of vitamin B You can ask a doctor for a simple blood test to identify any vitamin deficiencies.

A doctor will determine whether or not you have neuropathy, starting by asking about your symptoms and medical history. A doctor may do a filament test to test the sensitivity in your feet. A tuning fork may be used to test your vibration threshold.

A doctor may also test your ankle reflexes. In some cases, they may also perform a nerve conduction study , which can assess nerve damage by measuring the speed and strength of nerve signals. Keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range is the best way to decrease the likelihood of developing diabetic neuropathy or slow its progression.

It can also relieve some symptoms. Quitting smoking , if applicable, and exercising regularly are also parts of a comprehensive treatment plan. Always talk with a doctor or healthcare professional before beginning a new fitness routine.

You may also ask a doctor about complementary treatments or supplements for neuropathy. Medications may be used to treat pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. Talk with a doctor about the available medications and their potential side effects. Several medications have been shown to help with symptoms.

You may also want to consider alternative therapies such as acupuncture. Some research has found capsaicin to be helpful. Alternative therapies may provide additional relief when used in conjunction with medication. Depending on your type of neuropathy, a doctor can suggest medications, therapies, or lifestyle changes that may help deal with symptoms and ward off complications.

For example, if you have problems with digestion as a result of your neuropathy, a doctor may suggest you eat smaller meals more often and limit the amount of fiber and fat in your diet.

If you have vaginal dryness, a doctor may suggest a lubricant. If you have erectile dysfunction , they may prescribe medication that can help. Peripheral neuropathy is very common in people with diabetes and can lead to serious foot complications , which in turn can lead to amputation.

Diabetic neuropathy can often be avoided if you manage your blood glucose vigilantly. To do this, be consistent in:. If you do develop diabetic neuropathy, work closely with a doctor and follow their recommendations for slowing its progression.

With proper care, you can reduce the damage to your nerves and avoid complications. Read this article in Spanish. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Diabetic neuropathy is a common but painful symptom of diabetes. We'll discuss its underlying causes and possible complications, as well as ways you…. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a painful condition caused by nerve damage from diabetes. Read on to learn about the symptoms. Neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes.

Alpha-lipoic acid ALA is a possible alternative remedy for pain from neuropathy due to diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy can cause numbness, tingling, and chronic pain.

Learn about eight natural remedies you can try to alleviate these symptoms. Peripheral neuropathy causes pain, typically in the hands and feet. Learn about simple exercises you can complete at home to treat peripheral…. Monitoring your blood sugar is vital for controlling diabetes.

Learn how glucose is produced, when and how to check your levels, and recommended…. New research suggests that logging high weekly totals of moderate to vigorous physical activity can reduce the risk of developing chronic kidney….

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Type 2 Diabetes. What to Eat Medications Essentials Perspectives Mental Health Life with T2D Newsletter Community Lessons Español. Everything You Should Know About Diabetic Neuropathy. Medically reviewed by Kelly Wood, MD — By Carmella Wint, Matthew Solan, and Brian Wu — Updated on November 22, Symptoms Types Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that develops gradually and is caused by long-term high blood sugar levels.

Nerve damage that occurs Ginseng extract people damaye diabetes is called Nerve damage in diabetes Digestive wellness support. This condition is danage complication of diabetes. Diabetes can damage the nerves and cause a complication called neuropathy. This generally begins as loss of sensation in the toes, and possibly fingers. Eventually, the neuropathy can move up the person's legs or arms. High blood sugar can Antispasmodic Relief for Muscle Strains to nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. You can diabbetes it or Nerve damage in diabetes its progress by keeping your blood Alternate-day fasting and autophagy as close Ginseng extract your diabetss range as possible diabetse maintaining damags healthy lifestyle. Managing your blood sugar is an essential part of your diabetes care plan. Not only does it help you with day-to-day wellness, it can help prevent serious health problems down the road. Nerve damage is one possible complication from having high blood sugar levels for a long time. High blood sugar damages your nerves, and these nerves may stop sending messages to different parts of your body.