Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic Neuropathy

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?
Neuropathy Affecting The Feet
Advice on Cutting Your Toenails
Symptoms of Neuropathy Affecting Your Feet and Hands
Heel Fissures
Charcot Foot
Wrong Sized Shoes
Neuropathy and Antidepressants
Diabetic Holiday Foot Syndrome
Patient and Family Carer Experience
Diabetes and Hearing Loss May be Due to Neuropathy
Gastroparesis

 

Back to Related Health Issues
horizontaldots

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?

From early diagnosis of diabetes, most people are told to look after their feet because of the risks that long-term diabetes or poorly controlled diabetes, can cause nerve damage. This is just one form of diabetic neuropathy but probably the most common and well known form.

Neuropathy means damage to the nerves supplying any part of the body but is usually divided into two categories peripheral neuropathy or autonomic neuropathy.

  • Peripheral neuropathy affects the nerves supplying the skin and muscles.
  • Autonomic neuropathy affects the nerves supplying the organs such as the bladder, bowel or heart. It can damage the nerves responsible for controlling blood pressure, sexual function etc.

Neuropathies fall into two broad groups

  • Diffuse neuropathy affecting many nerves either the sensory or the autonomic nerves. This is the most common form and is the one that can affect the feet.
  • Focal neuropathy affecting individual nerves – for example, this is the type that can cause impotence.