What is Diabetic Neuropathy and Its Symptoms
Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can happen if you have diabetes. High blood sugar (glucose) damages nerves throughout the body, though it most commonly affects the hands and feet. As many as 50 percent of people who have diabetes also have diabetic neuropathy.
If you were recently diagnosed with diabetes, you likely have questions about neuropathy and how it can affect you. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent neuropathy or slow its progression. Below you’ll find more information about diabetic neuropathy, its symptoms and your treatment options.
What is Diabetic Neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a complication of diabetes. Although the exact cause is not known, it’s believed that several factors contribute to neuropathy, including high blood sugar, metabolic factors and inherited factors.
For instance, when your blood sugar is high, it causes chemical changes in the nerves and stops them from transmitting signals. It can also damage blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves.
Also, people who are overweight or have high triglyceride cholesterol levels are more likely to develop neuropathy. If you have diabetes, neuropathy can occur at any time. In fact, it might even be the first sign that you have diabetes.
What are the Symptoms of Neuropathy?
There are four main types of neuropathy: peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, proximal neuropathy and mononeuropathy. The symptoms you experience depend on the type of neuropathy you have (you can have more than one type). For example, some types of neuropathy affect the hands and feet first, while others cause damage to a specific, single nerve.
Here are the main signs of diabetic neuropathy:
- Reduced ability to feel pain
- Tingling or burning
- Sharp pains or cramps
- Muscle weakness
- Extreme sensitivity to touch
- Serious foot problems like ulcers
- Increased or decreased sweating
Treatment Options for Diabetic Neuropathy
There is no known cure for diabetic neuropathy. Rather, the goals of treatment are to slow progression, relieve pain and manage complications.
To slow progression, you’ll need to keep your blood sugar levels under control. This is key to minimizing nerve damage. You will work with your doctor to determine the best target range based on your age, overall health and how long you’ve had diabetes.
If you’re already experiencing pain from diabetes, your doctor will recommend treatment. Treatment often includes anti-seizure drugs and antidepressants. Lifestyle changes and alternative treatments can also be helpful, such as exercise and managing stress levels.
Finally, your treatment plan will include managing complications and restoring function. The treatment you’ll need depends on the complications you’re having, such as urinary tract problems, digestive problems and low blood pressure.
Learn More about Treating Diabetic Neuropathy
If you are currently struggling with symptoms from diabetic neuropathy, contact Jersey Rehab for an appointment. We focus on decreasing pain and better managing our clients’ symptoms – and we can do the same for you! Sometimes a new perspective is what you need to get your symptoms under control.
Ugonjwa wa neva wa kisukari ni aina ya uharibifu wa neva ambao unaweza kutokea ikiwa una ugonjwa wa kisukari. Kiwango cha juu cha sukari (glukozi) katika damu huathiri mishipa ya neva katika mwili wote, ingawa kwa kawaida huathiri mikono na miguu. Zaidi ya asilimia 50 ya watu wenye ugonjwa wa kisukari pia wana ugonjwa wa neva. Ikiwa umegunduliwa hivi karibuni kuwa na ugonjwa wa kisukari, labda una maswali kuhusu ugonjwa wa neva na jinsi unavyoweza kuathiriwa. Kwa bahati nzuri, kuna njia za kuzuia ugonjwa wa neva au kupunguza mwendo wake. Chini utapata habari zaidi kuhusu neuropathy ya kisukari, dalili zake na chaguzi zako za matibabu. Ugonjwa wa neva wa kisukari ni nini? Ugonjwa wa neva ni tatizo linalosababishwa na ugonjwa wa kisukari. Ingawa sababu halisi haijulikani, inaaminika kwamba sababu kadhaa huchangia neuropathy, ikiwa ni pamoja na sukari ya juu ya damu, sababu za kimetaboliki na sababu za urithi. Kwa mfano, sukari ya damu inapokuwa juu, mabadiliko ya kemikali hutokea katika neva na kuzuia ishara zisitoke. Pia inaweza kuharibu mishipa ya damu inayobeba oksijeni na virutubisho hadi kwenye neva. Pia, watu wenye uzito kupita kiasi au wenye viwango vya juu vya kolesteroli ya triglyceride wana uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kupatwa na ugonjwa wa neva. Ikiwa una ugonjwa wa kisukari, ugonjwa wa neva waweza kutokea wakati wowote. Kwa kweli, huenda ikawa ishara ya kwanza kwamba una ugonjwa wa kisukari. Dalili za Ugonjwa wa neva ni zipi? Kuna aina nne kuu za neuropathy: neuropathy ya pembeni, neuropathy ya kujitegemea, neuropathy ya karibu na mononeuropathy. Dalili za ugonjwa wa neva zinategemea aina ya ugonjwa wa neva unao (unaweza kuwa na aina zaidi ya moja). Kwa mfano, aina fulani za ugonjwa wa neva huathiri mikono na miguu kwanza, ilhali nyingine husababisha uharibifu wa neva moja hususa. Dalili za msingi za ugonjwa wa neva ni: - Kupungua kwa uwezo wa kuhisi maumivu - Kuchoma au kuchoma - Maumivu makali au maumivu makali - Udhaifu wa misuli - Hisia kali ya kugusa - Matatizo makubwa ya miguu kama vile vidonda - Kuongezeka au kupungua kwa jasho. Badala yake, malengo ya matibabu ni kupunguza mwendo wa ugonjwa huo, kupunguza maumivu, na kudhibiti matatizo. Ili kupunguza kasi ya ugonjwa huo, unahitaji kudhibiti kiwango cha sukari mdomoni mwako. Hilo ni jambo muhimu ili kupunguza uharibifu wa neva. Utafanya kazi na daktari wako kuamua kiwango bora cha lengo kulingana na umri wako, afya ya jumla na muda gani umekuwa na kisukari. Ikiwa tayari una maumivu kutokana na ugonjwa wa kisukari, daktari wako atakupendekeza matibabu. Mara nyingi matibabu hutia ndani dawa za kuzuia mshtuko wa akili na dawa za kukandamiza mshuko wa moyo. Mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha na matibabu mengine yanaweza pia kusaidia, kama vile mazoezi na kudhibiti viwango vya mkazo. Mwishowe, mpango wako wa matibabu utahusisha kudhibiti matatizo na kurudisha utendaji. Matibabu unayohitaji hutegemea matatizo unayo, kama vile matatizo ya mfumo wa mkojo, matatizo ya kumeng'enya chakula na shinikizo la chini la damu. Kwa mfano, ikiwa una matatizo ya ugonjwa wa kisukari, tafadhali wasiliana na Jersey Rehab kwa ajili ya uteuzi. Sisi kuzingatia kupunguza maumivu na bora kusimamia wateja wetu dalili <unk> na tunaweza kufanya vivyo hivyo kwa ajili yenu! Wakati mwingine mtazamo mpya ndio unahitaji ili kudhibiti dalili zako.