Diabetic Neuropathy - Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur in individuals with diabetes, leading to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and pain.

Diabetic Neuropathy FAQ

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What is diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy is when diabetes causes damage to your nerves. It can affect different types of nerves in your body, including in your feet, organs and muscles. Nerves carry messages between the brain and every part of our bodies so that we can see, hear, feel and move.

What are the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy?

High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout the body. Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in the legs and feet. Depending on the affected nerves, diabetic neuropathy symptoms include pain and numbness in the legs, feet and hands. It can also cause problems with the digestive system, urinary tract, blood vessels and heart.

What should I do if I have diabetic neuropathy?

If you have diabetic neuropathy, you should manage your diabetes, which means managing your blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and weight to keep nerve damage from getting worse. Foot care is very important for all people with diabetes, and it’s even more important if you have peripheral neuropathy.

Can diabetic neuropathy be cured?

While there’s no cure, managing blood sugar levels can slow its progression and prevent complications. Diabetic neuropathy is a serious and common complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It’s a type of nerve damage caused by long-term high blood sugar levels. The condition usually develops slowly, sometimes over the course of several decades.

How does diabetic neuropathy affect the body?

They also carry signals to parts of the body such as the heart, making it beat at different speeds, and the lungs, so we can breathe. Damage to the nerves can therefore cause serious problems in various parts of the body for people with type 1, type 2 or other types of diabetes. There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy - see below.

Can diabetes cause peripheral neuropathy?

Generally, the sooner peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, the better the chance of limiting the damage and preventing further complications. In the UK diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Over time, the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage the nerves.

How many types of diabetic neuropathy are there?

There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy. You can have one type or more than one type of neuropathy. Your symptoms depend on the type you have and which nerves are affected. Usually, symptoms develop gradually. You may not notice anything is wrong until considerable nerve damage has occurred.