What is diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy happens as a result of damage to your nervous it can get worse over a period, which is why it is known as a progressive disease.
Diabetic neuropathy happens when your peripheral nerves get damaged. It usually happens because of a high blood sugar level that can damage your nerves.
The nerve is something that plays a significant role in sending information, and it will allow an individual to move by sending the signals about what to feel and what to do by controlling the complete autonomic functions. Some of these functions are governed by the peripheral nerves. There are so many people with diabetes who have neuropathy because of their high blood sugar levels.

Types of diabetic neuropathy

There are mainly four types of diabetic neuropathy:

Peripheral symmetric neuropathy is a type of peripheral neuropathy that affects the feet and hands. Diabetic neuropathy is the most frequent one
Autonomic neuropathy is a condition that affects the nerves that control the body's involuntary activities, such as digestion, urine, and heart rate.
Roots, or proximal, neuropathy of the thoracic and lumbar spine: This affects nerves in a specific body area, like the chest wall or legs.
Mononeuropathies can damage every neuron in the body. The neuropathy symptoms vary depending on the nerves implicated and the type of neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy signs and symptoms usually take years to show. The type of neuropathy and the nerves it affects will determine the signs and symptoms.

Diagnosis

You have to ask your doctor for a test or physical exam to check these:

Sensation loss
Any change in skin texture
Skin colour change
Ankle reflexes

If there are detection of neuropathy, your doctor will run the following tests: An EMG to record the electrical activity in the muscles
To record the speed at which signals pass through the nerves, an NCV test

Treatment

There are chances that neuropathy can get worse over time
The very first thing you have to take care of to start the treatment for the neuropathy is to control your blood sugar level in a healthy range and try to manage your blood pressure and cholesterol.
If you work your blood sugar level in a healthy field, the chances are significantly less of getting diabetic neuropathy.You can manage your blood sugar level easily by Freestyle Libre 2 CGM It will help you in easing pain of neuropathy and reducing symptoms.
Another way is to take medicines or go for physical therapy. Certain medications can reduce the pain of diabetic neuropathy; however, these medicines cannot recover the nerve damage.

Medicines:

These are some medicines that can help you in reducing the pain from diabetic neuropathy

Tricyclic antidepressant
Anticonvulsants
Pain relief medicines opioids & nonopioid

All the medicines are used to relieve the pain you get from diabetic neuropathy. They are in the form of cream, topical lotions, and in the form of supplements.

physical therapy:

with all the medicines you can go for the physical therapy can help you the relieve pain and the dependency on the medicines.
you will also see relief in:

Tingling
Muscle weakness
Sexual dysfunction
Cramps in muscles of different body parts

Complications:

Diabetic neuropathy can cause various high-risk consequences, such as changes in heart rate and vision problems.
Loss of sensation in the feet is one of the possible side effects.
It might make it challenging to feel cuts or sores, leading to infection. It may require Amputation if infection in a limb is not treated.
Infections of the bladder and kidneys can be severe, resulting in health concerns. Good foot care is necessary to avoid the problems of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. People with the illness should check their feet for cuts or sores every day.
In persons with specific diabetic neuropathy, smoking is the leading cause of foot problems. A podiatrist can assist with foot care, and a health professional can offer advice on stopping smoking.

Takeaway

Diabetic neuropathy is a form of nerve injury that develops in diabetic patients. There are four forms of neuropathy: autonomic, proximal, peripheral, and focal.
Each one targets a different set of nerves and has a different set of consequences. Autonomic neuropathy affects the body's automatic functions, such as digesting. Nerves in the toes, fingers, hands and feet are damaged by peripheral neuropathy.
A variety of scans and testing for ankle reflexes, feeling, skin texture, and tone are used to make the diagnosis.