Causes, incidence and types of diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetic neuropathy is a serious medical condition and it occurs as a  common complication of diabetes
mellitus. In diabetic neuropathy, nerves get progressively damaged as a result of
prolonged periods of hyperglycemia which is a high blood sugar level state.
People may experience disorders of nervous system at any stage of diabetes. The duration of the disease and the
effectiveness of treatment of diabetes can determine
the likelihood for neuropathy to occur. As it is apparent, long term diabetics with poor
blood glucose control are at far higher
risk to develop diabetic neuropathy than others. Neuropathy is more often diagnosed in
patients who have been suffering from diabetes for at least twenty years.
In diabetic neuropathy, the damage of the nervous tissue can be temporary or permanent.
The condition itself can be chronic or recurrent.
Diabetic neuropathy is very common amongst people suffering from diabetes. According to
statistics, 50% of diabetics develop some type of neuropathy which occasionally may be
present without symptoms.
Diabetic neuropathy is responsible for the occurrence of foot ulcers, gangrene and potential amputation. In fact, the
condition is involved in 50-75% of non-traumatic amputations in developed countries. What
is more, neuropathy is the most common complication and the main cause of mortality in
patients suffering from diabetes.
Additional causes or risk factors for diabetic
neuropathy.
There is a wide range of potential causes for diabetic neuropathy. Of course diabetes
is the prime cause but the precise mechanism, which makes the excessive glucose in the
blood stream to affect nerves, is still under investigation. However, there is a
speculation that micro vascular damages may affect small vessels and prevent the nerves
to get adequate supply of oxygen and necessary nutrients.
Below are presented a number of additional causative factors. If any of them coexists
with diabetes, it may result in neuropathy.
 Autoimmune
reaction. For reasons that have not been identified yet, antibodies, which
are defending factors of our immune system, can attack the neurons and cause aseptic
inflammation and malfunction.
Other health
problems. Increased levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and elevated
triglyceride levels, existing for a long period
of time, are important risk factors for diabetic neuropathy.
Age.
The condition is more common among people being older than forty five.
Physical
condition. Overweight and obese people have 60-70% more
chances than other diabetics to develop neuropathy at some stage of their life.
Mechanical
injury to nerves, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or an accidental
incident may help in occurrence of diabetic neuropathy.
Lifestyle. Researchers have come to the conclusion that
habits, like regular fast food eating, smoking and especially heavy drinking
increase the chances for a person to develop diabetic neuropathy.
Hereditary
background appears to be important, since in many cases, neuropathy seems
to run in families.
Types of diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetic neuropathies are identified as autonomic, peripheral, focal and proximal,
depending on the pathological results and the affected parts of the body.
The most common type is
peripheral neuropathy which is also
described as distal symmetric neuropathy. Peripheral diabetic neuropathy typically
affects the limbs, resulting in pain or total absence of sensation.
Autonomic neuropathy occurs due to malfunction of
the nerves that sustain the involuntary function of organs and systems. These can be the
urinary, cardiovascular, reproductive digestive or any other system innervated by the
autonomic nervous system. Vital bodily functions, like secretion of hormones,
perspiration, digestion and control of blood pressure can be can be affected by autonomic
diabetic neuropathy. Sight problems can occur, due to this type of neuropathy, as
well.
Autonomic neuropathy is also responsible for sight
problems and unawareness
of hypoglycemia in people suffering from diabetes for more than twenty years’
period of time.
Proximal neuropathy affects  the hips, thighs or buttocks and results in instability due to
muscular weakness in lower limbs.
Focal neuropathy is usually present in a single
nerve. In less common cases, the problem may cause malfunction to a group of nerves.
Eyes, face, chest, torso, abdomen, wrist, thigh and lower limb are the most commonly
affected areas. Pain and muscular weakness are the typical symptoms of focal diabetic
neuropathy.
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