Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage associated with diabetes. It results in damage to the nerves in a person’s feet, legs, and eyes, and to the nerves that control bodily functions, such as digestion, blood pressure, and heart rate. Diabetic neuropathy can lead to serious complications, including ulcers, infection, and limb loss.

• Metabolic problems (e.g., high blood glucose)
• Damage to blood vessels
• Autoimmune factors
• Genetics

• Older age
• Having diabetes for 25 years or more
• Having type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol use)
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Peripheral vascular disease
• High cholesterol

• Numbness in the extremities
• Tingling in the extremities
• Pain in the extremities
• Wasting of the muscles of the feet or hands
• Indigestion
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Dizziness or fainting
• Urination problems
• Impotence or vaginal dryness
• Weakness in arms and/or legs
• Foot drop
• Muscle cramps
• Weakness of facial muscles resulting in drooping eyelid, drooping mouth, facial droop, difficulty swallowing
• A prolonged feeling of fullness after eating, and/or abdominal pain
• Heat intolerance due to a decreased ability to sweat normally

• Foot exam — to assess sensation in the foot
• Nerve conduction studies — to test nerve activity
• Electromyography —  to determine how muscles respond to nerve signals
• Quantitative sensory testing — the use of stimuli (e.g., vibration) to check for neuropathy
• Quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test — a test to evaluate the nerve supply of sweat glands
• Heart rate tests — to determine how the heart responds to changes
• Ultrasound — to view internal organs
• Biopsy — to remove a sample of nerve or skin tissue for examination

• Blood glucose management
• Foot care regimen
• Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS)
• Physical therapy

• American Diabetes Association

http://www.diabetes.org/

• National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/

• Canadian Diabetes Association

http://www.diabetes.ca/

• Health Canada

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html

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• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetic neuropathies: the nerve damage of diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/neuropathies/ . Accessed May 24, 2007.
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