Definition: damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nervous system) that causes pain, numbness, tingling and/or muscle weakness in the extremities (feet and legs, hands and arms)
Medical terminology: Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
What is Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy?
Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy describes damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, therefore the arms, hands, legs and feet. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy describes nerve damage to the peripheral nervous system as a complication of diabetes (high blood sugar levels).
Diabetic neuropathy affects 3 different groups of nerves
Autonomic nerves – Controls ‘involuntary’ actions of the body such as heart rate, digestion, sweating
Sensory nerves – Receive sensory signals that allow the body to feel pain, temperature and other sensations
Motor nerves – Controls muscle contraction and relaxation, giving them their strength and muscle tone
What are the symptoms of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy?
Symptoms often develop slowly over several years. Having diabetes for several years may increase your risk of developing nerve damage. Most of the time symptoms do not occur until many years after being diagnosed with diabetes.
Diabetic neuropathy can lead to serious, life threatening complications. Loss of feeling in the feet, due to sensory nerve damage, can increase a person’s chance to injury of their foot without knowing which can lead to an infection that could even progress to an amputation or even worse, death.
Several different types of nerves can be affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy therefore one or more symptoms may be present.
For autonomic neuropathy
- Dry, cracked skin
- Excessive sweating
- Heartburn and bloating
- Feeling full after eating a small amount of food
For sensory neuropathy
- Tingling or burning in the arms and legs
- Numbing or loss of feeling in the arms and legs
- Sensations often starts in your toes and feet
- Deep pain in the feet or legs
For motor neuropathy
- clawed toes due to muscle loss in toes
- problems maintaining balance
- muscle weakness, loss of muscle tone
- diminished or lack of reflexes