Diabetes Neuropathy
Many diabetics suffer from diabetic neuropathy(diabetic nerve damage). After some time, the layer protecting the nerves is damaged by high blood sugar levels. This damage leads to many health problems, including pain from your feet. Fortunately, much can be done by you to prevent nerve damage. Recently, a study concludes that control over your blood sugar may assist to delay or prevent such problems. Control over your blood sugar can assist to lessen the pain from some kinds of damage to the nerves.
Some Indications of Diabetic Nerve Damage
Some indications of diabetic nerve damage are pain, tingling, burning, or numbness in the hands and feet. There is also abnormal sweating, difficulty in knowing when you are having low blood glucose, and there is that light-head feeling when you get up onto your feet.
Nerve damage may result in other problems. There are people who find it difficult to swallow or keep their food down. It may also bring bowel problems, difficulty in urinating, dribbling during urination, bladder as well as kidney infections. For quite a number of people suffering from nerve damage, having sex is a problem. For instance, men have erectile dysfunction which is the inability to get their penis erect. If you suffer from any of the mentioned problems, consult your health care team. In most cases, help can be obtained.
Diabetic Neuropathy (Understanding Disease: Neurology) – Video Guide
Preventing Nerve Damage
1- Control Your Blood Sugar :
Prolonged high blood sugar may get your nerves damaged. Cooperate with your health-care team to make sure your sugar levels are in the safe range.(see Tight Blood Sugar Control)
2- Plan The Right Physical Activity :
Certain nerves, including the ones in your feet, can be kept healthy with exercise or physical activity. Find out from your health-care team what activity is right for you.(see Exercise Prescription for Diabetes)
3- Get Tested for Nerve Damage :
Nerve damage comes so slowly that you do not realize you are losing the ability to feel in the extremities of your lower limbs. Request for your feet to be examined each time you have an appointment with your health care team. Once, if not more often, your medical practitioner ought to find out how good your feet are at sensing temperature, vibration, pinprick and touch. If there is any indication of nerve damage, your practitioner may give you more tests to confirm it. Tests can show your medical practitioner the problem and its treatment. Keep a record of the tests on your feet.
For further foot care information, phone the NDIC (National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse) at 1-800-860-8747
4- Examine Your Feet Carefully for Changes :
You have to pay special attention to your feet if there is no more feeling in them. Examine your feet every day. Wear only shoes which really fit your feet.
Tips
- Difficulty in realizing that your sugar level is low can be a nerve damage indication.
- Let your health care team know of any problem with having sex.
- Have your health care team conduct a complete feet as well as nerve examination once, if not more, each year.