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The Curious Bag
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Diabetes affects not only blood sugar, but also the nerves in the body. If diabetes becomes severe or advanced enough, it can cause neuropathy or nerve damage, also known as diabetic neuropathy. Keeping blood sugar under control is one way of minimizing nerve damage.
Effect of Blood Sugar
While nobody knows definitely why diabetes causes nerve damage, the suspicion is that blood sugar has an effect on the proteins in the nerve cells. This may happen because glucose affects blood flow or changes the chemical balance.
Nerve Sheath Irritation
Glucose or a byproduct of metabolized blood sugar may also directly irritate the nerve sheath. After the sheath is destroyed, it exposes bare nerve.
Vascular System Problems
High blood sugar may also destroy the tiny blood vessels (capillaries), cutting blood supply to the nerves. After the blood vessels are weakened, the nerve sheath beneath begins to starve for lack of blood flow.
Prevention
The best thing a diabetic can do to prevent or minimize nerve damage is to keep his blood sugar levels under control. If he does experience nerve pain, problems with sensation or numbness, he needs to let his doctor know right away.
Categories of Neuropathy
Neuropathy can be diffused, meaning that it affects a wide area of the body. Nerve damage can also be focal, which means that it has affected a single nerve and part of the body.
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