What's the difference between diabetic neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage most often caused by diabetes, hence it is also referred to as diabetic peripheral neuropathy; it is a result of prolonged elevated levels of blood sugar.
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Is diabetic neuropathy the same as peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy. Your feet and legs are often affected first, followed by your hands and arms. Possible signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include: Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes, especially in your feet and toes.
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Can you have peripheral neuropathy and not have diabetes?

Millions of people suffer from the effects of non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy on a daily basis. Peripheral neuropathy refers to the dysfunction of the nerves in areas of the body, not including the brain and spine.
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Does peripheral neuropathy mean you have diabetes?

Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage caused by chronically high blood sugar and diabetes. It leads to numbness, loss of sensation, and sometimes pain in your feet, legs, or hands. It is the most common complication of diabetes.
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What are the three types of neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy (also called diabetic nerve pain and distal polyneuropathy) Proximal neuropathy (also called diabetic amyotrophy) Autonomic neuropathy. Focal neuropathy (also called mononeuropathy)
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Diabetic Neuropathy, Animation



What is the most painful type of neuropathy?

Proximal neuropathy

This type of nerve damage is usually only on one side of the body and can affect the hip, buttock, or thigh. Proximal neuropathy can cause severe pain and difficulty with movement, as well as weight and muscle loss.
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What are the 5 main symptoms of diabetic neuropathy?

Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are often worse at night, and may include:
  • Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or temperature changes.
  • Tingling or burning feeling.
  • Sharp pains or cramps.
  • Muscle weakness.
  • Extreme sensitivity to touch — for some people, even a bedsheet's weight can be painful.
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What triggers diabetic neuropathy?

What causes diabetic neuropathy? Over time, high blood glucose levels, also called blood sugar, and high levels of fats, such as triglycerides, in the blood from diabetes can damage your nerves. High blood glucose levels can also damage the small blood vessels that nourish your nerves with oxygen and nutrients.
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Where does diabetic neuropathy usually start?

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy usually first appears in the feet and legs, and may occur in the hands and arms later.
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Will lowering blood sugar help neuropathy?

Glucose management is a highly effective way of reducing symptoms and the progression of neuropathy. Managing your glucose levels should always be a part of your treatment plan.
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What is the best thing to do for peripheral neuropathy?

To help you manage peripheral neuropathy:
  • Take care of your feet, especially if you have diabetes. Check daily for blisters, cuts or calluses. ...
  • Exercise. ...
  • Quit smoking. ...
  • Eat healthy meals. ...
  • Avoid excessive alcohol. ...
  • Monitor your blood glucose levels.
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Is walking good for neuropathy?

Walking can reduce the pain and other symptoms of neuropathy from the nerve damage in your feet and lower legs. Walking and other light aerobic exercises have various benefits for people affected by neuropathy, which is a wide range of conditions involving disease and damage to the peripheral nerves.
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What can be mistaken for peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common, impacting 7 in 10 diabetics, among others. PN is often mistaken for another common illness, multiple sclerosis (MS).
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Does diabetic neuropathy go away?

There's no cure for diabetic neuropathy, but you can slow its progression. Keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range is the best way to decrease the likelihood of developing diabetic neuropathy or slow its progression. It can also relieve some symptoms.
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How do you test for diabetic peripheral neuropathy?

Along with the physical exam, your health care provider may perform or order specific tests to help diagnose diabetic neuropathy, such as:
  1. Filament testing. ...
  2. Sensory testing. ...
  3. Nerve conduction testing. ...
  4. Electromyography. ...
  5. Autonomic testing.
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What does the beginning of diabetic neuropathy feel like?

Diabetic neuropathy symptoms usually begin in the toes and work their way towards the head. The first symptoms you may experience are tingling and numbness in the toes or fingers. This may resemble the feeling of “pins and needles” when a foot that has fallen asleep begins to wake up.
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What are the warning signs of neuropathy?

Some of the symptoms that are most typical of first or early-stage neuropathy include the following:
  • Itchiness.
  • Tingling, prickling, or “pins-and-needles” sensation.
  • Burning sensations.
  • Sudden, intermittent “electric shock” pain.
  • Intermittent muscle spasms or cramping.
  • Hypersensitivity to touch or temperature.
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What are signs of diabetes in your feet?

Signs of Diabetic Foot Problems
  • Changes in skin color.
  • Changes in skin temperature.
  • Swelling in the foot or ankle.
  • Pain in the legs.
  • Open sores on the feet that are slow to heal or are draining.
  • Ingrown toenails or toenails infected with fungus.
  • Corns or calluses.
  • Dry cracks in the skin, especially around the heel.
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What are the five stages of neuropathy?

Let's take a look at the five stages of peripheral neuropathy and how you can recognize each.
  • Stage One: Numbness and Pain. ...
  • Stage Two: More Regular Symptoms. ...
  • Stage Three: The Pain Reaches Its High Point. ...
  • Stage Four: Constant Numbness. ...
  • Stage Five: Total Loss of Feeling. ...
  • Do You Need Help with Neuropathy?
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What foods should I avoid with neuropathy?

8 Foods That You Should Avoid if You Have Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Gluten. ...
  • Alcohol. ...
  • Added Sugars. ...
  • Refined Grains. ...
  • Trans and Saturated Fats. ...
  • Salty Snacks. ...
  • Heavy Metals. ...
  • Produce with Pesticides.
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What is end stage neuropathy?

Stage 5: Complete Loss of Feeling

This is the final stage of neuropathy, and it is where you've lost any and all feeling in your lower legs and feet. You do not feel any pain, just intense numbness. This is because there are no nerves that are able to send signals to your brain.
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Why does neuropathy hurt more at night?

At night our body temperature fluctuates and goes down a bit. Most people tend to sleep in a cooler room as well. The thought is that damaged nerves might interpret the temperature change as pain or tingling, which can heighten the sense of neuropathy.
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What triggers neuropathy pain?

What causes neuropathic pain? Common causes of neuropathic pain include nerve pressure or nerve damage after surgery or trauma, viral infections, cancer, vascular malformations, alcoholism, neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and metabolic conditions such as diabetes.
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What kind of doctor treats neuropathy in feet?

Everyone with symptoms of peripheral neuropathy of the feet should see a podiatrist. Podiatrists are doctors who are specially trained to preserve the health of the feet.
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What is the best medicine for neuropathy in the feet?

The most effective treatment was nortriptyline. Of the study subjects taking this medication, 25% reported their discomfort improved by at least 50%. The least effective treatment was pregabalin: only 15% of study subjects reported that much improvement. Side effects were common with all of the treatments.
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