What is diabetic neuropathy?
Diabetic neuropathy is a condition brought about by damage caused on the nerves due to high concentration of glucose in the blood. Metabolic activities like blood glucose levels above the normal rate coupled with prolonged duration of diabetes create damage to the nerves. Other likely causes are inflammation of the nerves, or any other injury inflicted onto the nerves. In some cases hereditary factors also come into play where some traits can be passed from parents to siblings and lead to a possibility of developing the disorder. Some lifestyle tendencies like smoking and drinking are risk factors that can lead to diabetic neuropathy.
In our bodies nerves serve as messengers ferrying information from one point to another. They relay information from all body parts to the brain necessitating the functioning of all the senses within our bodies. This communication by nerves enables us perform physical activities like seeing, hearing, movement and feeling. In order for your heart to beat and your lungs to breathe the nerves relay signals without our knowledge to these parts thereby guaranteeing us life. Any harm caused on the nerves can lead to multiple problems in parts of the body.
Diabetic neuropathy exists in three categories; Sensory, Autonomic, and Motor neuropathy.
Sensory neuropathy
This type of neuropathy damages the nerves that are charged with the responsibility of relaying signals related to temperature, for example when you touch something hot or cold these nerves notify you of the feeling attached to whatever you might have touched, the same applies to pain.. They also communicate to the brain bringing sensations from the skin, muscles and bones. Sensory nerves fall within this disorder. This complication only damages the nerves in the legs and feet. In some cases patients have had this condition affecting their hands.
Autonomic neuropathy
This disorder is known to cause damage to the nerves that transport information from your glands and organs to the brain. They necessitate some functions within your body without your knowledge which include the working of sexual organs, responding to long calls, controlling of the bowels and heart beating. People with this condition experience impotence, irregular heartbeats, loss of bladder control, constipation, diarrhoea, and sweating problems.
Motor neuropathy
This condition damages the nerves that are in charge of movement which relay information to the brain from muscles. When affected the muscles become very weak and wasted away thereby making it hard for peopled with such a complication to perform simple tasks. The tissues in the muscles end up being lost and crumps set in.
Diabetic neuropathy is a disorder that inflicts pain on the affected persons, different body parts are affected, and it is the most prevalent associated with diabetes. When this condition sets in it can lead to development of foot ulcers, where a patient affected by such ulcers leads a compromised quality of life, and amputations need to be done to such patients. Diabetic neuropathy is attributable to metabolic factors and those suffering from it are ever faced with hefty treatment bills as the disorder has no cure.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Kadaji
No comments:
Post a Comment