Diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the diabetes caused nerve damage, and it affects arms, hands, legs, and feet.

There are three different nerve groups that can be affected by the diabetic peripheral neuropathy. First of all, these are the sensory nerves. As a result of this, people may experience pain, temperature changes, and other similar sensations.

Secondly, the motor nerves may be impaired. As a result, the muscles may be impaired and such symptoms are loss of muscle control and weakness may be present.

And finally, autonomic nerves are affected. Here such functions as sweating or other involuntary functions are damaged.

The diabetic peripheral neuropathy does not appear suddenly; instead it is used to take time to develop. In fact, people may be diagnosed with the condition even prior to being diagnosed with diabetes. There are several theories as to why the diabetic peripheral neuropathy occurs, and all of them include certain nerve damage.

The diabetic neuropathy symptoms include:

1.      Numbness or tingling sensation in feet and pain or irritating discomfort in feet or legs for sensory neuropathy;

2.      Muscle weakness, loss of muscle tone in feet and lower legs, loss of balance, changes in foot shape for motor neuropathy;

3.      Dry feet and cracked skin for autonomic neuropathy.

In order to diagnose the diabetic peripheral neuropathy the foot and ankle surgeon will perform a number of tests on feet and legs. Such examination will help to determine if there is any damage or impairment in the patient’s reflexes, ability to feel vibration and feel light touch. Additional neurological tests may also be required.

Once the condition is identified, there are several ways of diabetic neuropathy treatment. It is generally advised to starts with the physical treatments. It might be beneficial to change the footwear, and help to deal with discomfort simple analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed.

It is believed that a stable glycemic control is very important, although there have not yet been trials that would prove the intensive insulin therapy to be productive.

A recent study, however, has shown that the pain is caused by the erratic blood glucose control.

There is a large number of various therapeutic agents that are suggested for treating the symptoms that are followed by pain.

Tricyclic agents, for instance, are the first treatment for symptomatic neuropathy, the usage of this medication is limited because of the side effect frequency and severity.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs are used to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, however the trial of this treatment have not been very successful.

Anticonvulsants have been used as a diabetic peripheral neuropathy remedy for a long period of time, and show to be quite effective in managing the disorder. The side effects of these agents are less discomforting as those of the tricyclic, but are still troublesome. Such drugs as local anesthetic agents, NMDA antagonists, opioid analgesics, topical, and physical treatments capsaicin are widely used in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy.