Nerve damage

Preventing nerve damage

Some people with diabetes develop a condition of the nerves known as diabetic neuropathy. Read more about what this is and what you can do to prevent it.

Diabetic neuropathy

The term ‘neuropathy’ means disease of the nerves.

Nerves need blood to survive, so damage to small blood vessels that supply the nerves leaves them with too little blood.

Any nerve in the body can be affected, but there are some typical symptoms that you should be aware of:

  • Often the first sign that nerves are affected is a patch of numbness or tingling in the toes or feet
  • The skin of the toes or feet may feel tender
  • Some people experience pain, whereas others are unable to feel pain or temperature. This can be extremely dangerous, since pain and temperature act as alarm bells to warn us of potential danger
  • Some people say that numbness in the feet makes it feel like they are walking on cotton wool
  • If you have longstanding diabetes, you might also notice muscle weakness.

    • Effects on specific organs

    Widespread damage to nerves can affect the bowels, causing diarrhoea.

    Some people experience a full feeling in the stomach or nausea.

    You may notice dizziness if you stand up quickly, and if you do it’s best to get up slowly, holding on to someone or something.

    Damage to nerves in the pelvis can lead to bladder problems and men may have difficulty getting an erection.

    Because your ability to detect pain is reduced, your feet need special attention. Foot problems are very common in people with diabetes. Read more about this in the section on Your feet.

    Preventing neuropathy

    Good control of your blood sugar and the right diabetic treatment will slow down or prevent neuropathy. This has been proven in many large research studies.

    Treatment of symptoms

    If you are in pain, trying a painkiller suggested by your doctor is a good start. However, pain caused by neuropathy can be difficult to treat with common painkillers.

    We now know that medicines normally used to combat depression can be excellent painkillers. For some people the antidepressant effect is also a bonus, as learning to deal with the problems associated with diabetes can make you feel low at times. Please consult your health care professional for more advice.

    The specific problems affecting different organs need to be tackled on an individual basis. Some can be difficult to treat, so your GP may refer you to a neurologist – the specialist who deals with the nervous system.

    Preventing nerve damage: A summary

    • Diabetes can cause damage to the small blood vessels supplying the nerves
    • This leads to diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage
    • Signs of nerve problems include:
         - Numbness or tingling in the feet
         - Tender skin
         - Pain
         - Inability to feel pain or temperature
    • Other organs can also be affected, such as the bowels, bladder, sexual organs
    • Nerve damage to the feet needs special attention, and regular foot checks are very important
    • Preventing nerve damage involves good blood sugar control and the right treatment for diabetes
    • Treatment can be difficult but pain can be managed in several ways.

     

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      INS/026/0809

    Last updated: August 2009