Diabetes is a complicated condition causing a host of other problems in the body. It is, imperative, therefore to control diabetes effectively so that the related complications can be avoided. In this article, we shall analyze and learn about diabetic nerve pain.

What is Diabetic Nerve Pain?

Diabetic nerve pain is one of the major complications that you might face when you have diabetes and the condition takes time to develop. In this case, you have a sort of peculiar pain in your hands as well as the feet. You might get various types of sensation such as burning or a shooting kind of a sensation. Some people also feel as though someone is pricking a needle or a pin in your hand and feet.

Why Does the Nerve pain Occur in Diabetes?

Normally, problems in the nerves of various body parts will occur when you are unable to control your levels of blood glucose for a long time. When you have high blood glucose levels, the nerves face damage and if you are someone who drinks and smokes on a regular basis, the problem of nerve damage will only increase in your case.

Symptoms of Diabetic Nerve Pain

As seen above, the condition is mostly known to affect the hands and the feet. Having said that, the diabetic nerve pain or damage can also affect other areas of your body which includes your stomach, heart, the reproductive organs, bowel and the digestive system, amongst the other parts. Following are a few warning signs of the diabetic nerve pain:

• You have problems in urinating.
• Your muscles get really weak and you feel tired at all times
• You lose the sense of balance and there is hardly any level of concentration that you have
• You have difficulty in swallowing food
• The body temperature is not regulated in an appropriate manner
• You have problems in the reproductive organ because of which there is an issue in erection
• You feel numb in your hands and feet sometimes
• A few other times there is a tingling effect on your hands and feet
• You face problems with vomiting and nausea
• You might have vomiting issues

If you face one or more of the above warning signs and symptoms, it is imperative that you go and check with your doctor about your condition.

Issues Related to Diabetic Nerve Pain

Diabetic nerve pain or diabetic nerve damage can be a serious complication and if not controlled, your body might be exposed to a risk of facing a number of problems and issues. Some of the issues that you might face when you are suffering from the condition of diabetic nerve pain are:

Diabetic Foot Pain

When the nerves of the feet are damaged owing to diabetic neuropathy, you have problems in the foot caused due to nerve damage. The problems might include numbness, irritation, or severe pain. Sometimes, you even need to get your foot amputated if the neuropathy is not managed in an effective manner.

Digestion-Related Issues

When you have nerve damage, the process by which the stomach is emptied from the food you eat is slow. This condition is also known as gastroparesis and it can cause digestion-related issues including vomiting, nausea, constipation, etc.

Heart and the Blood Vessels

As the nerves which are related to the heart are damaged owing to diabetic neuropathy, the blood vessels responsible for carrying adequate quantities of the blood to the heart are destroyed. This leads to several heart-related diseases in the patients.

Sweat Glands

The damage of the nerves in the body can cause you to sweat to a great extent at night as well as while you are eating food. Diabetic nerve pain can lead to damage to the sweat glands.

Eyes

Another common complication is the damage caused to the nerves controlling the eyes leading to poor vision and other eye-related conditions.

Sex Organs

Another issue which you might face if you have diabetic nerve pain is that the various sex organs of the body face damages. The process of erection in both men and women is adversely affected with the result that the condition might interfere with the smooth sexual functioning in both males and females.

Urinary Tract

The condition is also known to affect the ability of the bladder to release urine as the nerves responsible for these functions stand destroyed.

Tips to manage and Stop Nerve Pain in Diabetes

Following are a few ways which will help you manage the condition in an effective manner:

Medications

• The first thing that you can take help of for controlling your condition is by taking different medicines as prescribed by your doctor. Several suggested drugs include:
• Ibuprofen
• Acetaminophen
• Aspirin
• Doctors might also prescribe antidepressants such as tofralin, desipramine.
• Sometimes, doctors also prescribe powerful medicines such as tramadol which might have some side effects to it.
• While taking medication, you need to be extremely careful as there might be side effects related to the same. The side effects could be those related to dry mouth, sweating, or excessive sweating.

Blood Sugar Monitoring

The most effective way of keeping your diabetes under check, and in turn, managing the condition of diabetic nerve pain is by maintaining healthy and stable levels of blood sugar. You should check and monitor your blood sugar on a continuous basis in order to keep yourself away from the adverse effects of diabetic nerve pain.

Physical Activities

Some type of physical activity including swimming, etc, can be effective in managing the condition. You should consult your trusted therapist for suggesting a good routine of physical therapy for your body.

Taking Adequate Care of Your Hands and Feet

You should take adequate andgood care of both your hands and feet. Here is how you can achieve the same:

• You should regularly check your feet for any type of sores, cuts, wounds, etc.
• Avoid wearing shoes that are too tight for you
• Keep your hands and feet as clean as possible
• Keep your hands and feet moisturized at all times

Can Diabetic Nerve Damage be Reversed?

Although diabetic nerve damage can be managed in an effective manner by following the above-recommended ways, the condition, as of now, cannot be cured or reversed completely. If you are someone who suffers from diabetes, you can surely prevent the occurrence of a nerve damage by maintaining an adequate lifestyle and keeping your blood glucose levels under check. There are various treatments available that will help you reduce the impact of a nerve damage in case you are diabetic and happen to suffer from the condition of diabetic nerve pain.

We hope that the above article has been helpful in improving your understanding of the meaning, symptoms, complications, and treatment available for diabetic nerve pain!