Diabetic neuropathy

Alternative names:

nerve damage - diabetic

Definition:

A late complication of diabetes mellitus that affects nerve tissue.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

People with diabetes may develop temporary or permanent damage to nerve tissue during their illnesses. Injury to the nerves is caused by decreased blood flow and high blood-sugar levels. Neuropathies are more likely to develop if blood-glucose levels are poorly supervised. Some diabetics will not develop neuropathy, while others may develop this condition relatively early. On average, the onset of symptoms occurs 10 to 20 years after diabetes has been diagnosed.

Peripheral neuropathies may affect cranial nerves or nerves from the spinal column and their branches. This type of neuropathy tends to develop in stages. Early on, intermittent pain and tingling is noted in the extremities, particularly the feet. In later stages, the pain is more intense and constant. Finally, a painless neuropathy develops when pain sensation is lost to an area, which greatly increases the risk of severe tissue injury without pain as an indicator of injury.

Autonomic neuropathies affect the nerves that regulate involuntary vital functions including the heart muscle, smooth muscles, and glands. Low blood pressure, diarrhea, constipation, sexual impotence, and other symptoms result from autonomic neuropathies. Cranial neuropathies may affect vision and cause eye pain. Mononeuropathies affect a single nerve and are often reversible spontaneously. The incidence of diabetic neuropathy is 6 out of 10,000 people.