Some diabetes patients can develop a type of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. This damage is a serious but common complication associated with diabetes. There are four kinds of diabetic neuropathy, and an affected individual can have more than one type. Peripheral neuropathy is a variation that mainly affects the extremities of the body or the feet and hands. Autonomic neuropathy is a variation that affects the autonomic nervous system or the bladder, stomach, heart, intestines, eyes, and sex organs. Radiculoplexus neuropathy is a variation of diabetic neuropathy that affects nerves in the buttocks, legs, hips, or thighs. Mononeuropathy is a variation characterized by damage to a particular nerve in the middle of the body, leg, or face. Poor diabetes management and persistent high blood sugar levels are the biggest risk factors for diabetic neuropathy.
There are numerous signs indicative of diabetic neuropathy. Get to know them now.
Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness is characterized by the inability to produce a normal muscle movement or contraction with the individual’s full effort. Voluntary muscle movements are produced when an individual’s brain transmits a signal through their spinal cord, and then out through the nerve roots into branching nerves responsible for the stimulation of the muscles. If the connections between the brain, spinal cord, nerve roots, branching nerves, or muscles are disrupted or impaired, the muscles will not receive the signal that tells them how and when to contract or relax. Muscle weakness is commonly seen as a symptom in the peripheral and radiculoplexus variations of diabetic neuropathy. When muscle weakness occurs due to damage to the nerves, there is a significant reduction in the use of the affected muscle or muscles. When muscles go for long periods without regular use, they begin to lose their size, function, and density. Muscle weakness can cause an individual to have difficulty with walking, standing up, general coordination, balance, and a number of other basic bodily movements.
Keep reading to uncover more symptoms of diabetic neuropathy now.