Awareness Can Beat Deadly Diabetic Neuropathy

By Ned Dagostino

Thanks to lifestyle vices, diabetes has reached epidemic proportion in many countries. Severe and deadly as it is, diabetes gives rise to a number of even deadlier complications. Diabetic neuropathy, one such complication, is capable of turning the patient into a vegetable, and even causing a fatality. This disease attacks the nervous system, effectively deactivating the patient's ability to sense and respond to his surrounding, and, more importantly, to control his body's functioning.

This article aims to inform you of this serious condition. The information will prove useful in preventing this condition, and, in case you do have it, in remedying it. We shall cover the basics of diabetic neuropathy, its symptoms, and the various treatments that can cure it.

Diabetic neuropathy occurs in three forms: focal, peripheral, and autonomic. Focal neuropathy affects the nerves on an individual basis. Generally, but not exclusively, the nerves of the lower limbs are affected. Peripheral diabetic neuropathy affects the entire network of nerves comprising the peripheral nervous system. Autonomic diabetic neuropathy damages the nerves of the autonomic nervous system.

The symptomatic observations associated with diabetic neuropathy are listed below for your information. Use the information to detect this deadly disease.

The patient feels abnormally hot or cold, and sometimes both.

The patient faces uncontrollable urges to urinate suddenly. The same effect may apply to bowel movement but to a lesser extent.

The patient suffers from episodes of belching or flatulence or vomiting.

Sex-related problems, reducing the patient's sexual functionality.

The patient's circulatory system is affected, with episodes of palpitations, breathlessness, and poor circulation.

Loss of sensory functionality is a very dangerous side-effect of diabetic neuropathy. The patient's very ability to know about his environment is gone. He won't know whether he's been cut on his foot, or whether a scorpion has stung him. This could lead to grievous physical harm and even more potentially life-threatening situations.

Diabetic neuropathy can be cured only when the underlying diabetes is cured. In the meanwhile, the patient can get relief from the problems associated with diabetic neuropathy in a number of ways.

The only way to control diabetic neuropathy is by ensuring that blood glucose remains within the prescribed norms, and this requires careful monitoring. Besides monitoring the blood glucose level, there are a number of medications which provide symptomatic relief of the problems experienced by the patient. The frazzled nerves generate pain signals which border on the intolerable. This can be alleviated by pain relievers. Blood chemistry modifiers are given to reduce the impact of the elevated blood glucose level. Normal sexual functionality can be restored by the topical application of creams and lubricants. Above all, the patient should realize the criticality of diabetic neuropathy, and should never attempt to self-medicate or do anything without his doctor's knowledge and consent. - 29887

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