What is neuropathy?
Neuropathy is simply nerve pain. Neuropathy means damage to nerves in the peripheral nervous system, and so affects nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord - it does not include nerve damage in the central nervous system.What causes neuropathy?
Physical trauma, repetitive injury, infection, metabolic problems and exposure to toxins and some drugs can all lead to peripheral neuropathy.
Diabetes - Most cases of neuropathy are found in people who have the metabolic disorder diabetes, when it is known simply as diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetic neuropathy is a micro-vascular complication: excess blood glucose in people with diabetes can, over a number of years, injure the walls of tiny blood vessels supplying nerves, especially those in the legs. The consequence of the nerve damage can be an inability to feel pain, and so problems can go unnoticed by people with diabetes, for example because of "insensate" injury to their feet.
In the US, diabetic neuropathy is the primary cause of diabetic foot problems and ulcers. Specific estimates vary, but overall about half of people with diabetes have diabetic neuropathy.
While diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, other medical conditions can also lead to the problem:
Other conditions:
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- HIV infection and AIDS
- Long-term excessive alcohol intake
- Vitamin B deficiency and other nutritional deficiency
- Cancer - lymphoma or multiple myeloma
- Lyme disease, a tick-borne bacterial infection
- Charot-Marie-Tooth disease, a genetic cause of nerve damage, particularly in the lower limbs
- Guillian-Barre syndrome, a rare condition that damages peripheral nerves
- Diphtheria, a common bacterial infection in developing countries such as Haiti and Vietnam, but rare in other parts of the world.
This information is bought to you as a free service from DNA Biopharm South Africa. The information herein is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition. Should you wish to try any herbal or natural remedy discussed in these pages, please consult with your health care practitioner. Should you require any information or advice on any topic related to diabetes, please visit our website at www.dna-biopharm.com
No comments:
Post a Comment