Neuropathy Treatment

Neuropathy symptoms generally begin with a small tingle in the fingers or toes. This lack of sensation eventually works its way to the hands and feet, causing a burning sensation, leaving you in a lot of pain.

When you were a child, did you ever create a telephone by tying two paper cups to a string? You held a cup at your end and your friend held her cup at the other. As the string was pulled taut you would whisper your secret message into the cup and your words would magically travel to the other end. If the line was relaxed or cut you could continue to talk but your message would never reach its destination. Like the string on your imaginary phone, your nerves communicate messages back and forth from your brain to the other areas of your body. If any nerves are damaged by exposure to high blood sugar levels for a sustained period of time, typically many months or even years, the signal sent by your brain will either be weakened or interrupted all together.

Diabetic neuropathies are a family of nerve disorders which are caused by diabetes. People suffering from diabetes can, through time, develop nerve damage throughout their body. In fact, statistics show that approximately 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy. Some people who have nerve damage may exhibit no symptoms however others may have neuropathy symptoms such as pain, tingling, or numbness—loss of feeling—in the hands, arms, feet, and legs. Nerve problems can occur in every organ system, including the digestive tract, heart, and sex organs.

While people who have diabetes can develop nerve problems at any time the risk increases with age and longer duration of diabetes. Studies show that the highest rates of neuropathy are among people who have had diabetes for at least 25 years. Diabetic neuropathies also appear to be much more common for those who have difficulties controlling their blood sugar, as well as those with high levels of blood fat and blood pressure and those who are overweight.

People with diabetes can lower their risk for neuropathy by keeping their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels close to the target numbers their health care provider recommends. Being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight and nutritional supplementation can also help prevent the long-term complications of diabetes. For those who smoke, quitting will lower the risk of developing neuropathies as well as lower the risk for other health problems related to diabetes, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

Diabetic neuropathy in feet< means that damage has occurred to the nerves leading to your feet as a result of long term high blood glucose levels. These nerves are part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages from your brain and spinal cord, or central nervous system, to and from the extremities of your body. Research has shown that elevated blood glucose levels impair the tiny blood vessels that lead to the nerves. If the blood vessels are damaged they can’t carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves as they should, which eventually will lead to nerve damage.

Those who suffer from neuropathy in their feet have burning and tingling sensations in their legs and feet and have sharp pains which can, at times, feel unbearable. While there are some people who are more susceptible to peripheral neuropathy than others simply because of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes there are others are diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy due to outside assailants such as toxic substances that are capable of lessening the oxygen levels in your body.

Foot care is especially important if you are suffering from diabetes. It is important that you regularly check your feet for sores, cracks, and other injuries. Keep them dry, wear cotton socks that don’t bind around your ankles, avoid wearing flip-flops and sandals that have thongs between the toes, and check your shoes for debris such as rocks that might irritate your foot. If you have diabetes, it is vital that you manage your blood sugar levels and keep them under control to prevent damage to your peripheral nervous system. The best preventative tools are proper diet and exercise throughout your life however hindsight is always 20/20. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is vital that you learn as much as you can and take your illness seriously. It is important to take preventive measures such as watching where you walk and not exposing your feet to dangerous situations. These measures will help decrease any potential problems you will have.