4 Things We Want You to Know About Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

For the more than 38 million Americans who’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, this diagnosis is only the first step in what can often be a complex health journey. The complications associated with diabetes are numerous, and heading that list is peripheral neuropathy, which affects about half of people with diabetes.

Here at Apex Pain Specialists, Dr. Naveen Reddy and Dr. Maziar Massrour are board-certified pain management specialists who routinely help people with diabetes to navigate peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage.

Since November is National Diabetes Month, we thought it would be a good idea to cover some key pieces of information about peripheral neuropathy here.

1. Diabetes-related neuropathy is common … and serious

When you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are unregulated thanks to insulin resistance and a lack of sufficient insulin production to overcome the resistance.

These higher-than-normal glucose levels in your blood can lead to nerve damage in two ways:

• They lead to chemical changes in your nerves that cause malfunctions
• Too much glucose can damage the blood vessels that service your nerves

As a result, you can develop peripheral neuropathy, most often in your lower legs and feet, though the issue can also develop in other areas of the body.

As we mentioned, about half of people with diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy, so it’s one of the most common complications of the disease. It can also be a serious complication if you consider this: Nerve damage can set the stage for diabetic foot ulcers, which develop in about one-fourth of diabetics. Going a step further, about half of these ulcers become infected and 20% of these infected ulcers lead to amputation.

So, peripheral neuropathy is one side effect of diabetes you don’t want to ignore.

2. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is progressive

The nerve damage that people with diabetes encounter is largely progressive. It often starts off as small areas of numbness and tingling in your feet and, over time, the nerve damage progresses and you might lose more sensation, develop pain, and experience muscle weakness.

3. Only early neuropathy can be reversed

During the earliest stages of peripheral neuropathy, you can reverse the nerve damage if you act quickly. And by reverse, we mean better manage your blood sugar levels, as well as your cardiovascular health.

If you don’t act quickly to reverse or, at least, contain the neuropathy, the nerve damage can turn the corner into irreversible damage very quickly.

4. There are treatments for diabetic peripheral neuropathy

If you’re dealing with pain due to peripheral neuropathy, we want you to know that we can help you find relief.  Spinal cord stimulation has been an effective non-pharmological treatment to mitigate pain and discomfort associated with peripheral neuropathy.

Alongside this treatment, it’s very important that you manage your diabetes with insulin therapies and lifestyle changes, namely improving your diet and getting more exercise.

To explore your treatment options for diabetic peripheral neuropathy further, please feel free to call our office in Chandler, Arizona, at 480-820-7246 to schedule a consultation. You can also book an appointment online.