What Are The Warning Signs Of Diabetic Neuropathy?

Abdominal Swelling

Both the autonomic and radiculoplexus variants of diabetic neuropathy can cause a patient to bloat or swell in their abdominal area. This symptom occurs because high glucose can easily damage the nerves that control the muscles responsible for moving food through the digestive tract properly. When these nerves in the abdomen become damaged and impair signals to the abdominal muscles, food will not move through the digestive tract as fast as it should. Consequently, food tends to sit in the affected individual's stomach for an extended period. When food sits in the stomach too long, bacteria in the food itself and the stomach begin to consume its rotting contents before it can be digested. This bacterial consumption creates byproducts, some of which are in the form of gas. The buildup of gas in the stomach and intestines along with the inflammation that results from gastroparesis causes the patient's abdominal area to appear swollen or abnormally full.

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Weight Loss

A diabetes patient with diabetic neuropathy may experience weight loss. There are numerous mechanisms in diabetic neuropathy that can cause an individual to lose weight. Muscle weighs more then fat does, and reduced muscle use as a result of diabetic neuropathy can cause a significant loss in muscle size and tone. This loss equates to a loss of muscle weight in the body. In addition, a patient who has damage to the nerves that control digestion in the stomach and intestines can experience weight loss. This loss occurs because the food an individual consumes does not move through the digestive system when it should, stagnating and causing the patient to experience nausea, vomiting, and a loss of appetite. This means the individual being affected this way will not consume normal amounts of food on a regular basis as they should. Furthermore, diarrhea can also result from damage to the nerves that control food movement. A loss of fluids from diarrhea can cause a patient to lose weight.

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