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Tingling, numbness, pain in the arms as well as the hands and feet are common signs of diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Up to 70 percent of people with diabetes will develop some type of neuropathy, making it one of the most common side effects of the disease. How does the diabetes process trigger nerve damage? Let’s take a look at the explanation.
How does the diabetes process trigger nerve damage?
Quoting an explanation from the Medical News Today page, neuropathy or nerve damage due to diabetes can occur when high levels of fat or sugar in the blood damage the nerves in the body. It can affect almost any nerve in the body, with a variety of symptoms.
Of course, this condition makes the walls of the blood vessels (capillaries) become weak, and cannot provide oxygen and nutrition to the nerves. In the end, nerve cells become damaged.
High levels of triglycerides, fats in the blood measured during cholesterol screening, have also been linked to the development of nerve damage. Other combinations of factors that trigger nerve damage include:
- High blood pressure
- Smoke
- Alcohol use
- Have chronic liver or kidney disease
- Vitamin B deficiency
- Consumption of certain medications, including some anticancer drugs, has also been linked to causing neuropathy.
Nerves are very important for the body’s organs to work properly. The function of nerves themselves has an important role in everyday life, such as allowing people to move, sending messages about feelings, and controlling automatic functions, such as breathing.
There are several types of nerve damage, such as involving the peripheral nerves, while others damage the nerves that supply internal organs, such as the heart, bladder and intestines.
In this way, it can affect many bodily functions. Between one-third and one-half of people with diabetes have neuropathy.
What are the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy?
There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy. However, the worst thing is that when you experience nerve damage due to diabetes, you can experience one or more types of symptoms.
Symptoms will depend on the type you have and which nerves are affected. Usually symptoms develop gradually. You may not be aware of certain disorders in your body’s organs until severe nerve damage occurs.
As reported on the Mayo Clinic page, here are some of the symptoms experienced according to the type of neuropathy:
1. Peripheral neuropathy
This type of neuropathy can also be called distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy. This condition is the most common type of diabetic neuropathy experienced by diabetes patients. Peripheral neuropathy affects the feet and legs, followed by the hands and arms.
Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy often worsen at night, and include the following:
- Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or changes in temperature
- Tingling or burning sensation
- Sharp pain or cramps
- Increased sensitivity to touch for some people, even the weight of bed sheets can be painful
- Serious foot problems, such as deep wounds, infections, and bone and joint pain.
2. Neuropati otonom
The autonomic nervous system controls the heart, bladder, stomach, intestines, sex organs, and eyes. Diabetes can affect the nerves in any of the following areas, and cause:
- Lack of awareness that blood sugar levels are low (hypoglycemia unawareness)
- Bladder or bowel problems
- Slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis), causing nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
- Changes in the way the eyes adjust from light to dark
- Decreased sexual response.
3. Neuropati proksimal
This type of neuropathy, also called diabetic amyotrophy, often affects the nerves in the thighs, hips, buttocks or feet. It can also affect the stomach and chest areas.
Symptoms are usually on one side of the body, but can spread to the other side. Here are some things you may experience if you suffer from proximal neuropathy:
- Severe pain in the hips and thighs or buttocks
- Eventually the thigh muscles weaken and shrink
- Difficulty rising from a sitting position
- Severe stomach ache.
4. Mononeuropati
There are two types of mononeuropathy, namely cranial and peripheral. Mononeuropathy refers to damage to certain nerves. Mononeuropathy can also cause:
- Difficulty focusing or double vision
- Pain behind one eye
- Paralysis on one side of the face or suffering from Bell’s palsy
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or fingers, except the little finger
- Hands become weak when holding things.
When should you see a doctor?
It is highly recommended to immediately see a doctor if you experience the following things:
- Infected or non-healing wounds on the feet
- Burning, tingling, and pain in the hands or feet that interfere with daily activities or sleep.
- Changes in digestion, urination or sexual function
- Dizziness and fainting.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that screening for diabetic neuropathy begin once a person is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. And five years after diagnosis for someone with type 1 diabetes. After that, screening is recommended annually.