Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Specialist

What is diabetic peripheral neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy refers to nerve damage caused by high blood sugar. You can develop several types of diabetic neuropathy, depending on the type and number of nerves affected. Of the different types, diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the most common.

When you have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the nerve damage typically occurs in your feet and legs. However, it may affect your arms and hands, as well as the nerves in your eyes. 

What symptoms develop due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy?

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy commonly affects the sensory nerves, causing symptoms such as:

• Tingling or burning sensations in your feet or hands
• Numbness in your feet or hands
• Sharp pain in your feet or hands
• Shooting pain in your legs or arms
• Increased sensitivity to touch
• Non-healing foot ulcers
• Bone and joint pain

The two most serious complications include diabetic retinopathy (a top cause of adult-onset blindness) and diabetic foot ulcers. 

What causes diabetic foot ulcers?

In addition to harming nerves, high blood sugar damages small blood vessels. When neuropathy causes numbness, you won't feel minor cuts and bruises on your feet or friction from shoes.

As small sores develop, they can't heal properly because blood vessel damage restricts their blood supply. As a result, small sores quickly develop into non-healing foot ulcers.

Without intensive wound care, the ulcer enlarges, and the infection spreads to your skin and bones. Then you have a high risk of needing an amputation. 

How is diabetic peripheral neuropathy treated?

No cures exist for diabetic peripheral neuropathy once it develops. However, you can prevent the problem or stop existing neuropathy from getting progressively worse by controlling your blood sugar.

Maintaining tight control of your diabetes may require medications, dietary changes, exercise, weight loss, and carefully monitoring your blood sugar levels.

The next step in your treatment focuses on relieving the pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The team at Johnston Pain Management, P.A., creates a customized treatment plan that may include:

• Oral and topical pain-relieving medications
• Anti-seizure medications
• Physical therapy
• Nerve blocks
• Corticosteroid injections
• Peripheral nerve stimulation
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
• Combined electrochemical treatment
• Relaxation techniques
• Psychological support

Your provider may also recommend alternative treatments such as massage and acupuncture.

To get relief from the pain of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, call Johnston Pain Management, P.A., or book an appointment online today.