Your doctor should examine you regularly and at the first sign of diabetic neuropathy.
Your doctor should examine you
regularly and at the first sign
of diabetic neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy is a term used to describe damage done to the nerves by high blood sugar. In fact, almost all the complications of diabetes stem from diabetic neuropathy. And the chances are good that if you have diabetes, one day you will feel the effects of diabetic neuropathy. By most estimates, about half of all people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy. The longer you live with diabetes, the greater your chances of developing some degree of neuropathy; the first signs of nerve damage typically arise 10 to 20 years after a patient is first diagnosed with diabetes.

From a structural standpoint, the nervous system has two main divisions, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord; this is the control center of the nervous system. The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves that branch off the spinal cord and extend throughout the body. Nerves act as messengers, transmitting information to the brain through the spinal cord. Many nerves are insulated with a protective layer of protein and fat known as a myelin sheath.

High blood sugar damages the myelin sheath, and as a result, signaling between neurons may be delayed or shut down altogether.  Damage to the myelin sheath is thought to be the main cause of diabetic neuropathy, but there are others.

Diabetic neuropathy can instigate trouble all over your body. Your extremities, including your toes and the rest of the feet, are especially vulnerable. But diabetic neuropathy can lead to digestive, cardiovascular, urinary, sexual, and vision problems, to name a few. These problems can be extremely serious, even life-threatening. So it's important to be aware of them, to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms, and to be tested regularly or at the first indication of nerve damage.

Learn more about the causes of diabetic neuropathy, the symptoms, testing and treatment options, and the various types of diabetic neuropathy.

Causes of Diabetic Neuropathy
Scientists have multiple theories about how diabetes causes damage to the nerves, including damage to the myelin sheath. Learn more about these theories.

Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that occurs in the extremities, such as the feet or toes. Learn more about what peripheral neuropathy entails and what to look out for.

Autonomic Neuropathy Symptoms
In addition to consciously taking in information about the environment through our senses and then telling the body how to act, the nervous system also runs day-to-day functions that we don't consciously think about, such as breathing and making the heart beat. Autonomic neuropathy can interfere with these functions that are necessary for life. Learn more about autonomic neuropathy.

Diabetic Neuropathy Diagnosis
There are a number of tests that exist to test for the various forms of diabetic neuropathy. Learn more about what these tests consist of and how often you should be tested in order to catch diabetic neuropathy as soon as possible.

Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment
Once nerves are damaged, it's not possible to repair the damage. However, it is possible to treat existing damage and slow down or prevent future damage. Learn more about how to treat diabetic neuropathy.

To learn more about diabetes in general, including diagnosis, causes, symptoms, and treatment, visit our main Diabetes page.

Suggestions for a Diabetic Diet
One of the most important aspects of treating and controlling diabetes is monitoring the food you take into your body. However, there may be more wiggle room than you think. To learn more about proper nutrition and diabetes, try the following links:
  • Our main Diabetic Diet page will show you which food groups are diabetes-friendly and which ones you should avoid.  
  • Visit our Diabetic Recipes page to find simple, delicious meals you can make that won't send our blood sugar into a tailspin.  

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.