Also called: Also called: Diabetic neuropathy
If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are too high. Over time, this can damage the covering on your nerves or the blood vessels that bring oxygen to your nerves. Damaged nerves may stop sending messages, or may send messages slowly or at the wrong times.
This damage is called diabetic neuropathy. About half of people with diabetes get it. Symptoms may include
- Numbness in your hands, legs or feet
- Shooting pains, burning or tingling
- Nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea
- Problems with sexual function
- Urinary problems
- Dizziness when you change positions quickly
Controlling your blood sugar can help prevent nerve problems, or keep them from getting worse. Treatment may include pain relief and other medicines.
- Diabetic Neuropathies: The Nerve Damage of Diabetes(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/neuropathies/
- Diabetic Neuropathy(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/diabetic/diabetic.htm
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Diabetic Neuropathy: What You Can Do about It(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/diabetes/complications/050.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/diabetes/complications/050.printerview.html
- JAMA Patient Page: Peripheral Neuropathy(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/299/9/1096.pdf
- Gene Therapy Improves Diabetic Neuropathy in Study(04/29/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83559.html
- Could You Have Diabetic Neuropathy and Not Know It?(American Diabetes Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/DNWebCheckList.pdf
- Electrodiagnostic Testing(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00270
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Symptoms and Signs(Neuropathy Association) - http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=About_Symptoms
- Diabetes Care: 10 Ways to Avoid Diabetes Complications(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes-management/DA00008/METHOD=print
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Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Nervous System Healthy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_nerves/
Also available in Spanish http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/complications_nerves/index.htm
- Can Neuropathy Be Reversed?(Joslin Diabetes Center) - http://www.joslin.org/beginners_guide_574.asp
- Autonomic Neuropathy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/autonomic-neuropathy/DS00544/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Gastroparesis(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/
- Polyneuropathy: Diabetic Neuropathy, AIDS Neuropathy, and Others(Beth Israel Medical Center, Dept. of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care) - http://www.stoppain.org/pain_medicine/content/chronicpain/polyneuropathy.asp
- Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/sup/
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetic Neuropathies(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Diabetic+Neuropathies%22
- Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and Follow-up Study(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/control/
- Nerve Damage(American Diabetes Association) - Current medical research reports - http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-research/summaries/nerve.jsp
- Article: Realignment and extended fusion with use of a medial column... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19339565&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Meta-analysis of duloxetine vs. pregabalin and gabapentin in the treatment... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19208243&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Use of anticonvulsants drugs for neuropathic painful conditions. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19157324&tool=MedlinePlus
- Diabetic Nerve Problems -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=diabetic+neuropathies[majr]+NOT+diabetic+foot[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+clinical+trial[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- diabetic neuropathy - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=diabetic+neuropathy
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Diabetes Dictionary(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/dictionary/
Also available in Spanish http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/spanish/pubs/dictionary/index.htm
- Directory of Diabetes Organizations(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/resources/organizations.htm
- American Diabetes Association - http://www.diabetes.org/
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Diabetic Neuropathy(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/diabetes/neuropathy.php
- Diabetes - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetes.html
- Diabetes Complications - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetescomplications.html
- Diabetic Foot - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticfoot.html
- Peripheral Nerve Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/peripheralnervedisorders.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Diabetic Nerve Problems is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/