As the name suggests, diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder caused by diabetes. Over many years, diabetic patients suffer damage to nerves all over the body. The longer a person has been diabetic, the greater the danger of diabetic neuropathy. Such nerve damage can manifest itself anywhere in the body, such as the digestive system, sex organs, or heart. It can lead to lack of sensation, tingling in the hands, arms, feet or legs. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of people who have diabetes are affected by some type of neuropathy, and maximum rates of neuropathy are amongst the populace who have had diabetes for close to 25 years. It is not limited only to diabetic patients; it could also affect people who are not able to control their blood pressure, who are overweight or persons over 40 years of age.

Nerve damage, in the case of diabetic neuropathy, is caused by a combination of factors. The most important would be high blood glucose, high blood fat levels, having been diabetic for a long time, and low levels of insulin. Damage to blood vessels that carry oxygen, swelling of nerves, mechanical injuries, habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol are some other reasons.

Few diabetics have no neuropathic symptoms, but for many it may merely be apparent in numbness, a twinge of pain, or both. Other symptoms could be urinary troubles, impotence or vaginal aridness; nausea, indigestion, giddiness, diarrhea and vomiting. It is important to note that these symptoms could be trivial at first and go unnoticed, thus continue to damage the nerves for an extensive period of time, unchecked.

There are different classifications of diabetic neuropathy: peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, proximal neuropathy and focal neuropathy. Each type affects specific parts of the body in different ways. Peripheral neuropathy causes deadness or pain to the outermost parts of the body: hands, feet, arms and legs. Autonomic neuropathy affects nerves associated with involuntary functions of the body, like heart beat and digestion. Proximal neuropathy causes pain in central parts of the body, in thighs, hips and buttocks, and may also weaken legs. The last type, focal neuropathy, could cause an abrupt dysfunction of a nerve or a cluster of nerves causing double vision, failure to focus, and other muscular weaknesses. It ought to be noted that any nerve in the body can be affected.

The primary aim of a treatment would be to relieve pain. Treatments would deal with maintaining safe blood glucose levels with the assistance of diets and drugs. Care should be taken to protect the feet - a significant component of the treatment. Diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy is essentially reliant on how well diabetes is handled. Good treatment could prevent the development of diabetic neuropathy, but once present, diabetic neuropathy has no cure. Pain caused by diabetic neuropathy is so brutal that a secondary diabetic symptom is often depression.