Neuropathy ( nerve damage)

Diabetic neuropathy is the most common neuropathy and affects up to 70 percent of patients with diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy symptoms include numbness, which means that you may not feel any foot pain when a cut or sore develops, until it is too late and already developed into a serious ulcer. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves. This can cause major problems in organs and other parts of the body, but most often the legs and feet.

Diabetic Neuropathy is a progressive disease, and the symptoms usually get worse over time. There are four types of neuropathy, including Peripheral neuropathy, the most common associated with diabetes. Symptoms are usually worse at night, and include numbness, tingling, temperature changes in the foot, and sharp pain. Some patients also report an increased sensitivity to touch, where even the weight of a bedsheet at night can be extremely painful. Over time, this neuropathy can cause loss of balance and coordination, and loss of reflexes, especially in the ankle.

Other neuropathies associated with diabetes include, Autonomic neuropathy, affecting nerves that control internal organs, Proximal Neuropathy, affecting hips, thighs and buttocks, and Focal Neuropathy, which is associated with single nerve damage, especially in the hands, legs and torso.

There is a lot you can do to prevent or delay nerve damage. If you are experiencing some of the symptoms mentioned above, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some other preventative measures include watching your bloood sugar. Checking blood sugar levels will tell you whether your diabetes care plan is working, or if adjustments need to be made . Also, twice yearly, A1C levels should be checked through blood work prescribed by your diabetic podiatrist. Foot self examinations are also very important. If you no longer can feel pain in your feet, because of numbness due to neuropathy, self examination is extremely important. Daily inspections of the feet only take a minute or two to do, as even a small change in appearance could signal a problem. Taking care of a small infection could possibly prevent amputation later down the road.