Diabetic Neuropathy
It is a common nerve disorder caused by diabetes. It is as a result of nerve damage and generally manifests itself in the form of tingling, burning, pins and needles, numbness, coldness and pains. In many instances the blood sugar is too high for extended periods and this is what contributes to the nerve damage.
4 Types of Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy can be classified as peripheral, proximal, autonomic, or focal. They have varied effects on different body parts.
• Peripheral neuropathy, which was discussed in last week’s article, is the most common type of diabetic neuropathy. It causes loss of feeling and pains.
• Proximal neuropathy pains are generated in the thighs, butt or hips, and contribute to weakness in the legs.
• Autonomic neuropathy affects digestion, bowel and bladder function, sexual response, and perspiration. It can also affect the nerves that serve the heart and control blood pressure, as well as nerves in the lungs and eyes.
• Focal neuropathy manifests itself via sudden weakness of the nerves resulting in pains and muscle weakness.
Peripheral neuropathy affects the
• feet
• toes
• legs
• arms
• hands.
Proximal neuropathy affects the
• hips
• thighs
• legs
• buttocks.
Autonomic neuropathy affects the
• digestive system
• heart and blood vessels
• sweat glands
• lungs
• urinary tract
• sex organs
• eyes.
Focal neuropathy affects the
• lower back and pelvis
• eyes
• legs
• chest
• facial muscles
• ears
• thighs
• feet
• abdomen.
How is it diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose neuropathy on the basis of symptoms and a physical exam. During the exam, your doctor may check blood pressure, heart rate, muscle strength, reflexes, and sensitivity to position changes, vibration, temperature, or light touch.
Foot Exams
A comprehensive foot exam is recommended annually to check for peripheral neuropathy. The nature of this ailment requires more frequent foot exams which include assessesment of the skin, muscles, bones, circulation, and sensation of the feet. For assessing feeling in your feet, a nylon monofilament—similar to a bristle on a hairbrush—attached to a wand may be used or the foot pricked with a pin.
If you are unable to sense pressure from a pinprick or monofilament, and have lost protective sensation, you’re at risk for developing foot sores that may not heal properly. Your doctor may also check temperature perception or use a tuning fork, which is more sensitive than touch pressure, to assess vibration perception.
How is Diabetic Neuropathy treated?
There is no cure for diabetic neuropathy. Treatment focuses on slowing the development of the condition and making lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes not only help slow nerve damage, but also promote overall health.
They include:
• Controlling blood pressure
• Eating a healthy diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Exercising regularly
• Not smoking
• Limiting alcohol use.
Treatment focuses on alleviating pain and discomfort. Medication, physiotherapy/massage therapy, electrical treatment or aqua therapy are the means available to aid in easing neuropathy pain. Visit your doctor/podiatrist/chiropodist/foot health specialist for advice on the appropriate treatment.
Foot Care for Diabetics with Neuropathy
Extra special care is needed for persons with diabetic neuropathy. The feet carry the longest nerves and these tend to be the most affected ones. Injuries and cuts that lead to ulcers can develop and go unnoticed due to loss of sensation in the limbs. Poor circulation can cause darkened spots and also increase the chances of foot ulcers.
In the United States over 80,000 persons go under the knife for lower limb amputations. Over 50% of these persons are diabetic and the amputations are, in a number of cases, as a result of poor circulation and neuropathy, but more importantly lack of / poor foot care.
Steps to better foot care:
• Wash your feet with lukewarm water and an antibacterial soap daily. Ensure that when drying, between the toes are dried carefully.
• Foot inspection is critical on a daily basis. Check for blisters, swelling, callouses, redness/darkening or any unusual signs. If you are unable to inspect under the feet yourself, get someone to check it out as often as possible.
• Moisturising on top of and beneath the feet twice daily is important.
• Toenails should be trimmed straight across when necessary.
• Never walk barefooted.
• Use seamless socks and stockings.
• Shoes with improper support aren’t advised, ensure they fit well.
• It is advised that diabetics see their doctor every 3-6 months depending on the stage of diabetes; and their chiropodist/podiatrist/foot health practitioner every 1-2 ½ months to assist if needed in the trimming of the toenails or general cleaning up of the feet.
How to Cope
On occasion patients don’t get relief from treatment; their bodies don’t respond well to it and the pain sometimes intensifies. At times this may lead to serious disabilities such as difficulty in standing, walking, exercising or driving. Since performing routine activities could become difficult, it would help to do advance planning of activities. Space out tasks, and ask family and friends for assistance. Seek counseling if the situation becomes overwhelming at times.
We see a large percentage of diabetics at our Clinic, many of whom have benefitted from treatment; the key, however, is overall discipline in following the prescribed treatments and lifestyle changes.
Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!
WhatsApp us!
Oh my goodness! a tremendous article dude. Thank you Nevertheless I’m experiencing situation with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting an identical rss downside? Anyone who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
Cheers pal. I do appreciate the wrtinig.
I appreciate this wonderful put up! It was invaluable. If only you will move forward posting knowing with us.
Simply just applied this site to be able to my top features. I quite like digesting any personal blogs and even we imagine you keep these arriving!
I believe the author that we’d like to share the information we have a tendency to gain!
Your weblog is excellent. Thank you greatly for delivering a lot of very helpful information and facts.
Good info. Do you have a mailing list? Quality stuff. Thanks. Keep up the quality posts.
Good work there. signed up to your rss feed!
Very nice post. I have really enjoyed visiting your site posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon! Thanks a lot, I’ll attempt to visit more frequently. Happy new year!
Is it alright to put part of this on my page if I include a reference to this web page?
Finally a site I agree with. I have read some real rubbish today, so its a treat to read something useful.
Thank you for your time to have put these things together on this weblog. Robin and that i very much liked your ideas through the articles over certain things. I realize that you have several demands on your own timetable therefore the fact that an individual like you took as much time just like you did to help people really like us by means of this article is actually highly valued.
Information permits the light-weight that you are able to take notice of the actuality. Nevertheless this is attractive pleasant at least one and offers in-depth knowledge. Thank you for this valuable wonderful piece
Have you ever thought about including somewhat bit extra than just your ideas? I imply, what you say is important and everything. However its obtained no punch, no pop! Maybe if you added a pic or two, a video? You could possibly have such a extra highly effective weblog for those who let people SEE what youre speaking about as a substitute of just studying it. Anyway, in my language, there usually are not much good supply like this.
This is some nice stuff. It took me a while to find this web page but it was worth the time. I noticed this post was hidden in yahoo and not the number one spot. This web page has a ton of enjoyable stuff and it does not deserve to be burried in the search engines like that. By the way Im going to save this webpage to my list of favorites.
I genuinely enjoy looking through on this internet site , it has got good posts .
Ive been meaning to read this and just never obtained a chance. Its an issue that Im really interested in, I just started reading and Im glad I did. Youre a excellent blogger, 1 of the very best that Ive seen. This weblog absolutely has some information and facts on topic that I just wasnt aware of. Thanks for bringing this things to light.
Why do I bother calling up pepole when I can just read this!
To the point and written well, thanks for the info
Have you considered adding some relevant links to your article? I think it will really enhance viewers understanding.
No comlpaints on this end, simply a good piece.
Im certain you had joy scripting this article. Anyway, in my language, there arent a lot good source like this.
You made some good points there. I looked on the internet for the subject matter and found most individuals will go along with with your blog.
This is a interesting post by the way. I am going to go ahead and bookmark this article for my sister to read later on tonight. Keep up the good quality work.
I was looking for some good blog post about this issue . Searching in Yahoo I managed to find this great site. After reading this information Im really glad to say that I most definatelly found just what I was looking for. I will make sure to remember this website and come back here on a constant basis. Thanks!
After read a few of the blogposts on your web site now, and I really like your style of blogging. I bookmarked it to my favorites site list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my internet site as well and let me know what you think.
TY, nice post! Exactly the thing I needed.
The style that you write make it really trouble-free to read. And the design you use, wow. Its a really good combination. And I am wondering what is the name of the template you use?
I added your blog to bookmarks. And i’ll read your articles more often! Before this, it would be possible for the government to arrest you just based on whatever you were saying, if they didnt like it.
This is a very smartly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it
I like this idea. I visited your website for the first time and simply been your supporter. Keep writing as I am going to come to read it everyday!!
Please email me with a few hints on how you made your site look this cool , Id be thankful.
Thanks for giving this kind of great subject material on your web site. I came across it on the search engines. I will check to come back whenever you publish more aricles.
Hi, decent post. I have been pondering this topic, so thank you for sharing. I’ll likely be arrival back to your posts. Keep up the decent work
Only desire to say your post is spectacular. The clearness as part of your put up is quickly remarkable and i can assume you happen to be an authority on this area. Properly together with your permission permit me to grab your rss feed to keep as much as date with succeeding put up. Thanks a million and please continue to keep up the superior do the job.
obviously like your website but you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I will definitely come back again.
I’m often to blogging and i actually respect your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web site and hold checking for brand new information.
There are definitely loads of details like that to take into consideration. That may be a great level to bring up. I offer the thoughts above as basic inspiration however clearly there are questions like the one you carry up where the most important thing can be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around things like that, but I am sure that your job is clearly recognized as a good game. Each boys and girls feel the impression of just a moment’s pleasure, for the remainder of their lives.
What i don’t realize is actually how you’re not actually much more well-liked than you might be now. You’re so intelligent. You realize thus significantly relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from so many varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs outstanding. Always maintain it up!
Another excellent article! Thank you!
It’s my first pay a visit to this site, and I am in fact astonished to see such a good quality YouTube video posted at this point.
Great – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Excellent task..
Wow! Thank you! I always needed to write on my website something like that. Can I include a portion of your post to my website?
I’d incessantly want to be update on new blog posts on this web site, saved to favorites!
Hello! Just dropped by to write great website. Keep up the good work youre doing!