Are you suffering from diabetic neuropathy in Baltimore? If yes, you can get help at CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center. The debilitating complication is typical with most diabetes patients. Diabetic neuropathy results from extreme sugar levels that cause nerve damage. When your nerves get affected, they cannot function or send signals properly. High sugar levels may also damage your blood vessels supplying your nerves with nutrients and oxygen.
Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy?
There are four standard types of diabetic neuropathy and your symptoms will extensively depend on your neuropathy type and your affected nerves. Most symptoms are gradual, and you might not showcase any signs until you have considerable nerve damage.
Peripheral neuropathy
Also called distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy is the most common of the types. It mainly affects your limbs, starting with your feet and legs, and mostly worsens at night. Symptoms include:
· Cramping or sharp pains
· Sensitivity to touch
· Numbness
· Reduced or inability to experience pain or temperature changes
· Severe foot problems
· Tingling or burning sensation
Autonomic neuropathy
The neuropathy type affects your autonomic nervous system (responsible for controlling your sex organs, stomach, intestines, bladder, heart, and eyes). Affected nerves in the system may make you experience the following symptoms:
· Low sexual response
· Inability to detect low sugar levels
· Bladder and bowel complications
· Gastroparesis
· Difficulty adjusting from light to dark
Proximal neuropathy
Also referred to as diabetic amyotrophy, this type affects nerves in your hips, thighs, buttocks and legs. Though you are likely to have symptoms on one side of your body, you can have the signs spread to your other side. Your symptoms may include:
· Gradual weakness and shrinking of your thigh muscles
· Severe stomach pains
· Severe pains in your hip, thigh, and buttock (on the affected side)
· Inability to rise after sitting
Mononeuropathy
Mononeuropathy affects a specific nerve and may lead to:
· Paralysis (on one side of your face)
· Double vision
· Pain behind one eye
· Weakness in your hands
· Numbness or a tingling feeling (especially in your fingers and hands)
How can you prevent diabetic neuropathy?
Diabetic neuropathy is preventable. You can prevent the condition and its various complications by controlling your blood sugar levels and looking out for your feet.
· Blood sugar management. Your doctor might advise you to go for an A1C test at least twice annually to estimate your sugar levels for the past three months.
· Foot care. Foot problems are typical with diabetic neuropathy complications. However, you can prevent most of these issues by going through a thorough evaluation annually, letting your doctor analyze your legs on every visit, and taking care of your feet.
Treatment for diabetic neuropathy
Though there is no absolute cure for diabetic neuropathy, your doctor can help you manage your debilitating symptoms. The goals of your treatment will aim at:
· Slowing down your condition’s progression
· Relieving you from pain
· Managing your complications
· Restoring your system functioning
Controlling your sugar levels within your range helps delay or prevent nerve damage. Additionally, proper sugar management may minimize your current symptoms. Contact your doctor on time to learn more about your coping options with diabetic neuropathy.