Diabetic neuropathy is a serious complication of diabetes that causes damage to the nerves responsible for movement and sensation. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 50% of people with diabetes experience this condition.
Here’s an overview of the four types of diabetic neuropathy:
- Peripheral neuropathy: This is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy, and it’s characterized by symptoms that typically start in the feet and legs and eventually progress to the hands and arms. This type of diabetic neuropathy may lead to symptoms like tingling, burning, intense sensitivity to touch, or a lessened ability to sense pain or temperature. Other symptoms include sharp cramps, weakened muscles, foot infections, ulcers, and bone and joint damage.
- Autonomic neuropathy: This form of neuropathy impacts blood pressure, sweating, and heart rate, as well as the eyes, sex organs, and bladder and digestive systems.
- Proximal neuropathy: The symptoms of this neuropathy often appear on one side of the body before spreading to the other and can include pain in the chest, abdominal wall, hip, thigh, or buttock. Weakened thigh muscles and difficulty standing can also be related to this type of neuropathy.
- Mononeuropathy: This neuropathy impacts a single, specific nerve in either your face, torso, arm, or leg. Depending on where it occurs, it can cause pain in the foot, shin, or thigh, as well as double vision, partial facial paralysis, and loss of the ability to focus the eyes or lift the front of the foot.
If you’re in the Clemmons, North Carolina area and looking for a solution for your diabetic neuropathy, reach out to our team at Complete Rehab!