Diabetes can cause major physical ailments within the body. One such ailment that can lead to severe illness is when the nervous system is attacked and broken down within a person's body. The name for this is called “diabetic neuropathy” and is the result of someone who has not controlled their diabetes. More than 50% of people that have diabetes also have some sort of abnormality of their nervous system.
Unfortunately, most of these people do not realize what is happening because there are little to no signs of damage to the nervous system until it's too late. These men and women have a few things in common when it comes to taking care of their health: they are typically over the age of 40, are regular cigarette smokers, and practice poor habits of their glucose control.
Statistics also report that nerve damage which results from diabetes is typically shown in people that have had diabetes for the longest time. Once their diabetes has gotten to this stage of causing major nerve damage, neuropathy will produce foot infections, ulcerations on the feet, and even amputation. The good news is that all of these complications are preventable by careful planning and attention to your diabetic needs.
How Does Nerve Damage Occur?
Researchers are still unsure about how the body's nerves are damaged by high glucose levels. However, doctors do know for sure that the “axon” (a part of the nerve), which connects other nerves and muscles, becomes degenerated. This damage can either be metabolic or vascular.
When metabolic damage occurs, the metabolism produces highly chemical toxins which contains far too much glucose for the body to utilize in a healthy manner. When the damage is vascular, the result is a dangerous situation that cuts the blood off to the nerve.
How Much Time Does A Diabetic Have Before They Experience Nerve Damage?
From the most recent studies, researchers have recorded that diabetic neuropathy will typically begin to set in a person's body when they have unusually elevated blood glucose levels for 10 or more years. It is for this reason that nerve damage can affect people with both type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Both forms of diabetes can lead to severe nerve disease. The good news is that some people can reduce their nerve damage to a somewhat healthy state by reducing their blood glucose levels.
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