Foot Neuropathy

Diabetes is the leading known cause of neuropathy in most countries, and diabetes could lead to several types of neuropathy including diabetic amyotrophy, polyneuropathy, and autonomic neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy usually develops in a person who has been diagnosed with diabetes for a while. It develops slowly and throughout the body, damaging the nerves. While many patients experience some symptoms like tingling in their hands and feet, and numbness, there are also those who do not exhibit any symptom of any nerve damage. However, diabetic neuropathy affects 60-70% of all diabetic patients.

Diabetic neuropathy also usually has to do with age aside from the length of time the patient has had neuropathy. Among those who have diabetic neuropathy has had diabetes for at least 25 years.

Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy vary depending on which nerves are affected. As mentioned before, there are those who do not have any symptom at all. But for most patients, the most common symptoms include tingling and numbness.

Listed below are other symptoms of diabetic neuropathy that have been present with most diabetic patients.

• wasting of the muscles of the feet or hands
• indigestion, nausea, or vomiting
• diarrhea or constipation
• dizziness or faintness due to a drop in blood pressure after standing or sitting up
• problems with urination
• erectile dysfunction in men or vaginal dryness in women
• weakness

There are also other conditions like weight loss and depression that may accompany neuropathy but don’t necessarily follow that the diabetic neuropathy has caused these.