
Effective diabetes management is one of the ways in which neuropathy’s symptoms can sometimes be reduced. 1 in 4 diabetes sufferers in America has some measure of peripheral neuropathy alone, with that being the most common. Neuropathy can result from a variety of underlying health concerns, but is most often associated with diabetes, as mentioned above. It can also occur in the legs, where it causes recurring nerve pain (usually a tingling, burning pain sensation) in a specific part of the legs. It most often occurs in the head autonomic and focal neuropathy are two reasons why people with diabetes sometimes experience loss of vision. The symptoms of autonomic neuropathy vary widely, depending upon where damage is specifically located, but they can result in loss of vision, trouble with the digestive system, and heart issues.įocal neuropathy differs from the preceding forms of the condition because it only affects a single nerve. Unlike its peripheral relative, diabetic amyotrophy usually goes away with either time or treatment.Īutonomic neuropathy can be a particularly frightening form of neuropathy, because it affects that part of the nervous system which transmits functions related to the body’s autonomic functions-everything from a person’s heart rate, to the optic nerves that carry signals to and from the eyes. It is less likely to cause nerve pain, instead contributing to a feeling of muscle weakness in the upper legs, posterior, and lower back. It is the second most common form of neuropathy in the US, primarily affecting elderly diabetes patients. Proximal neuropathy is also known as diabetic amyotrophy. As many as 20 million Americans have peripheral neuropathy. It is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy in the US, with about 1 in 4 diabetes sufferers experiencing peripheral neuropathy in some form. Peripheral involves damage to the peripheral nervous system, which helps to carry signals back and forth between the spinal cord and the body’s outer extremities (muscles, skin, and organs). Peripheral neuropathy is a term that is often used interchangeably with diabetic neuropathy, which is actually the overall term for four different types of the condition (including peripheral, proximal, autonomic, and focal) which are normally associated with diabetes as an underlying condition. Due to the way the nervous system is arranged, it tends to affect certain parts of the body in a specific order, but this isn’t always the case: some individuals manifest neuropathic symptoms in seemingly random places. This debilitating condition involves a breakdown of part of the nervous system due to damage or disease.

The most commonly diagnosed category of neuropathy within the United States is peripheral neuropathy, which is most often associated with diabetes.


“Neuropathy” is a broadly defined classification for a number of conditions which affect the human nervous system. However, certain lifestyle changes and vitamins like benfotiamine have been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms to the point where they are manageable.

There is no cure for neuropathy medically, it is treated with an assortment of drugs, including anti-depressants these often have severe physical and psychological side effects. As it advances, this debilitating condition can cost a person much of their mobility, through the onset of such symptoms as loss of balance, persistent numbness, and “foot drop.” Anyone who struggles with neuropathy knows what it is like to deal with frequent bouts of pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.
