What is diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that happens in people who have diabetes. This damage makes it hard for their nerves to carry messages to the brain and other parts of the body.

Diabetic neuropathy can cause the following symptoms:

• Numbness (loss of feeling) or painful tingling and burning in parts of the body, especially your feet, legs, and toes.
• Muscle weakness and difficulty walking.
• Your feet heal slowly when you get cuts, sores, or blisters on them. Also, they don’t hurt as much as you would expect.

• Diabetes causes the level of sugar in your blood to be higher than normal. Over time, high blood sugar levels damage your blood vessels and nerves. That’s why people who don’t (or can’t) control their blood sugar very well seem more likely to get diabetic neuropathy.

  Men are more likely to have diabetic neuropathy than women. High cholesterol levels and smoking also increase your risk.

• Your doctor or nurse should check your feet periodically when you go in for a visit. If you are diabetic and have symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, your doctor will take a complete health history and perform a physical exam. If you have never been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor may order a blood test first. Nerve function tests are used to diagnose diabetic neuropathy. Nerve function tests will measure your response to electrical signals, sensitivity to touch, and changes in temperature.

• The most important thing is to keep your blood sugar under control. Take your medicines and/or insulin exactly as your doctor prescribes. Eat a healthy diet. If you are overweight, ask your doctor to help you lose weight. Get plenty of exercise.

  Here are some other ways to protect your feet:

  • Wash your feet every day with lukewarm (not hot) water and mild soap.
  • Dry your feet well, especially between the toes. Use a soft towel and pat gently; don’t rub.
  • Keep the skin of your feet smooth by applying a small amount of cream or lotion, especially on the heels. If the skin is cracked, talk to your doctor about how to treat it.
  • Check your feet every day. You may need a mirror to look at the bottoms of your feet. Call your doctor if you have redness, swelling, pain that doesn’t go away, numbness, or tingling in any part of your foot.
  • Don’t treat calluses, corns, or bunions without talking to your doctor first.
  • Cut toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. It might help to soak your toenails in warm water to soften them before you cut them. File the edges of your toenails carefully.
  • Don’t let your feet get too hot or too
  • Don’t go barefoot.

  When choosing shoes and socks, use these guidelines:

  • Don’t wear shoes without socks.
  • Don’t wear sandals or other open-toed shoes.
  • Avoid high-heeled shoes and shoes with pointed toes.
  • Wear comfortable socks that aren’t too tight. Change them every day.
  • Don’t wear uncomfortable or tight shoes that rub or cut into your feet. If you’ve had problems before because of shoes that didn’t fit, you may want to be fitted for a custom-molded shoe.
  • Talk to your doctor before you buy special shoes or inserts.
  • Shop for new shoes at the end of the day when your feet are a little swollen. If shoes are comfortable when your feet are swollen, they’ll probably be comfortable all day.
  • Break in new shoes gradually.
  • Change socks and shoes every day.
  • Look inside your shoes every day for things like gravel or torn linings. These things could rub against your feet and cause blisters or sores.
  •  

Now playing on Amazon.