You used to lead a more active life, but diabetic neuropathy in your feet and lower legs has different plans, and the condition is starting to sideline you.
Even when you’re not active, this type of nerve damage can cause pain, especially at night, preventing you from getting the restorative sleep you need.
This story is one that millions of Americans can relate to — more than 40 million people in the United States have diabetes, and about half of this number will develop peripheral neuropathy, one of the most common complications of diabetes.
Since November is National Diabetes Month, our highly skilled team at Pain Medicine Consultants thought it would be a good idea to highlight diabetic neuropathy in this blog post.
Let’s first look at the connection between your diabetes diagnosis and peripheral neuropathy, which is the term we use for nerve damage outside your central nervous system.
As you know, when you have diabetes, your body is unable to properly manage glucose levels in your blood due to insulin resistance and a lack of insulin. As a result, you can have dangerously high blood sugar levels, which can damage the delicate blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to your peripheral nerves.
This diabetes complication tends to strike the extremities. In most cases, the lower legs and feet are involved. Less commonly, diabetic neuropathy develops in your arms and hands.
If you’re reading this, you likely already know all about the side effects of diabetic neuropathy, but we want to review them quickly here. In most cases, the symptoms of diabetes-related nerve damage include:
These symptoms can come and go during the early stages of nerve damage, but as the neuropathy progresses, they can become more severe and constant, making life more than a little uncomfortable.
If the discomfort alone doesn’t drive you to our practice for relief, there’s another important reason why you should come see us sooner rather than later.
When the nerves in your feet are damaged, it sets the stage for diabetic foot ulcers, which develop in about one-third of people with diabetes. More alarming is the fact that about half of these foot ulcers become infected and 20% of these infections end in partial or full amputation.
So, this should provide plenty of motivation to seek help for your peripheral neuropathy. For further incentive, consider that early intervention can also halt, if not reverse, the nerve damage.
When we say intervention, the most important step is to manage your glucose levels vigilantly with your primary care provider.
For our part, we can help you manage the symptoms with:
Rest assured, we’ll work diligently to find the right solution for your diabetic neuropathy.
To figure out the best treatment plan for your diabetic neuropathy, please contact one of our offices in Pleasant Hill, Corte Madera, or Pleasanton, California, to schedule an appointment with one of our pain management specialists.
