Diabetic neuropathy is a family of nerve disorders caused by poorly controlled blood sugar levels for extended periods of time.
Up to sixty per cent of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are affected by neuropathy or nerve damage.
The likelihood of nerve damage occurring increases with the length of time you have diabetes.
As well as constantly high blood sugar levels, neuropathy is made worse by:
Loss of sensation...
sensory nerves which detect cold, pain and heat are damaged 2.
Loss of motor nerves...
motor nerves carrying impulses to your muscles to control movement are damaged 3.
Loss of autonomic nerves, or automatic nerves...
we can't control these ones.
They take care of your heart rate, movement of food through your digestive system, and more.
Automatic functions are dependent on the autonomic nerves and damage depends on the the location of the nerve.
Problems with autonomic nerves could lead to:
But none of them ever need bother you.
The key point to remember is prevention or early detection is much better than trying to fix diabetic neuropathy or diabetic nerve damage.
Up to sixty per cent of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are affected by neuropathy or nerve damage.
The likelihood of nerve damage occurring increases with the length of time you have diabetes.
As well as constantly high blood sugar levels, neuropathy is made worse by:
- the diabetic's age...
nerve damage is more common in people over 40 - the diabetic's height...
neuropathy is more common in taller people, as they have longer nerve fibers to damage - alcohol...
even small amounts of alcohol can make nerve damage worse
Loss of sensation...
sensory nerves which detect cold, pain and heat are damaged 2.
Loss of motor nerves...
motor nerves carrying impulses to your muscles to control movement are damaged 3.
Loss of autonomic nerves, or automatic nerves...
we can't control these ones.
They take care of your heart rate, movement of food through your digestive system, and more.
Automatic functions are dependent on the autonomic nerves and damage depends on the the location of the nerve.
Problems with autonomic nerves could lead to:
- sexual dysfunction: occurs in 50 per cent of males with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and 30 per cent of females with diabetes.
Males are unable to sustain an erection and females have problems with lubricating the vagina for intercourse - bladder issues: come about by you being unable to recognise bladder fullness.
Urine is not eliminated and this leads to urinary tract infections - sweating problem:especially in your feet.
Then your body tries to compensate for lack of sweating in your feet by causing excessive sweating of your face and body - abnormalities of your pupil: your pupils set the amount of light allowed to enter.
Due to the neuropathy the pupil is small and will not open up in a dark room
But none of them ever need bother you.
The key point to remember is prevention or early detection is much better than trying to fix diabetic neuropathy or diabetic nerve damage.
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