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Diabetic neuropathy   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Nerve damage - diabetic

Definition:

a late complication of diabetes mellitus that affects nerve tissue.

Causes and Risks

People with diabetes may develop temporary or permanent damage to nerve tissue. Nerve injuries are caused by decreased blood flow and high blood-sugar levels, and are more likely to develop if blood-glucose levels are poorly supervised. Some diabetics will not develop nerve damage, while others may develop this condition relatively early. On average, the onset of symptoms occurs 10 to 20 years after diabetes has been diagnosed.

Peripheral nerve injuries may affect cranial nerves or nerves from the spinal column and their branches. This type of neuropathy (nerve injury) tends to develop in stages. Early on, intermittent pain and tingling is noted in the extremities, particularly the feet. In later stages, the pain is more intense and constant. Finally, a painless neuropathy develops when pain sensation is lost to an area, which greatly increases the risk of severe tissue injury because painno longer alerts the person to injury.

Diabetic painful neuropathy is divided into acute and chronic forms. The acute form typically occurs during the first three years after diagnosis, startsand then resolves on its own. The chronic form occurs in people with the disease after an average of 8-9 years.It beginsslowly and persists for years with multiple relapses. Cranial neuropathies may affect vision and cause eye pain.

Autonomic neuropathies affect the nerves that regulate involuntary vital functions, including the heart muscle, smooth muscles, and glands. Low blood pressure, diarrhea, constipation, sexual impotence, and other symptoms result from autonomic neuropathies. The prevalence of neuropathy ranges from 10-60 % of the diabetic population.

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