Abnormal blood sugar levels threaten the nervous system.
The nervous system is particularly sensitive to abnormal blood sugar (glucose) levels on the nervous system. This is manifested, for example, in the case of severe hypoglycemia (deep hypoglycaemia), when it manifests itself as convulsions, the possibility of loss of consciousness, and sometimes even a temporary defect on the psyche expressing an irrational inclination to anger, aggressiveness, apathy and even fear for a reason. However, a particular risk is the chronic excess of blood sugar, which insidiously destroys nerve fibers.
Glucose levelin blood
is now recognized
the most common glucometer. Glucose levels are too low and mean dangerous hypoglycaemia when:
♦ the blood sugar level will drop below 2.8 mmoles / l (50 ml / dl) - this means severe hypoglycaemia.
Glucose levels are too high and mean diabetes when:
♦ in double fasting, it exceeds 126 mg / dl (7.0 mmol / l)
♦ in random measurement it is greater (or equal to) 200 mg / 100 ml (11.1 mmol / l) and there are typical symptoms of diabetes.
What is this disease - diabetic neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a general term for many, sometimes strange, disorders and symptoms of the nervous system that can occur as a result of chronic excess sugar (glucose) in the blood - in the course of poorly treated diabetes. (See below - the statement of a sick woman.) The result of this condition called hyperglycaemia is the damage to very numerous nerve fibers in our body.
The first symptoms of diabetic neuropathy
The first pathological changes of the nervous system due to diabetic neuropathy are lesions and malfunctions of fine nerve fibers. Damage occurs relatively early and develops secretly. This applies mainly to people who have not yet been diagnosed with the disease. This pathology may also have a sudden onset - caused eg by stress or by the implementation of diabetes treatment.
Dangerous chronic excess of glucose in the blood - hyperglycemia.
The effects of chronic hypoglycaemia on the nervous system are well characterized by the following statement of a diabetic patient:
"I have been suffering from type 2 diabetes for twenty years - unfortunately, I did not regularly control the level of sugar, and when I measured the level of glucose in the clinic, it was usually too much in my blood! (...) For some time now I have been hearing and ringing in my ears, wandering leg aches, gum pains. I also feel numbness and tingling in my feet and I have the impression that I walk "on the stubble". The doctor told my neuropathy. What is this disease? Can it be treated effectively? - these are the questions of a 65-year-old woman with diabetes, one of many.
What "breaks" in the nerve fibers under the influence of excess sugar in the blood?
In type II diabetes (not requiring insulin injections), excess sugar causes the nervous system to weaken the rate of conduction. This exemption is progressive and every year the conductivity decreases by nearly 1 m / sec. In type I diabetes (requiring insulin injections) - the deterioration of nerve fiber activity occurs the fastest, immediately after the appearance of diabetes. Over the next 2-3 years this process is released.
What are the typical symptoms of damage to the conduction of nerve fibers?
Most often they are disorders in the action of peripheral nerves, that is, those that innervate the muscle tissue and skin. The symptom may be the so-called sensory neuropathy. Patients with it have sensory disorders, in feet, so-called "Sock tingling" and in hands "gloved", long-term pain in the muscles of the legs and hands, sometimes short-term acute, pain.
Can these symptoms be divided into various types of ailments?
Yes. Depending on the type of nerves damaged and the course of the disease, several types of neuropathy can be distinguished, namely:
1. Nerve damage, which conducts stimuli to muscles and skin, i.e. peripheral nerves - called sensory neuropathy; (or polyneuropathy),
2. Nerve damage acting independently of our will, i.e. autonomic neuropathy.
3. Painful, short-term nerve damage occurring in the form of one or several focuses, (focal neuropathy)
4. Damage to nerves that conduct muscle and skin stimuli, so-called sensory neuropathy (polyneuropathy)
5. Damage to the above nerves, called peripheral is not one, but usually a set of symptoms and symptoms. This form - also called 'sensory' neuropathy - is the most common form of neuropathy.
Ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
Consultation by prof. dr hab. med. Andrzej Danysz
SYMPTOMS
Secretive or sudden beginning
Damage and disability of fine nerve fibers due to diabetes occurs relatively early and develops secretly. This applies mainly to people who have not yet been diagnosed with the disease. This pathology may also have a sudden onset - caused eg by stress or by the implementation of diabetes treatment.
Can you diagnose the disease early?
Yes. Early symptoms include the abnormalities of the peripheral nerves of the feet and hands mentioned above - i.e. "tingling of the feet and hands", and also loss of sensation of temperature and a reduction in the sense of light touch and needle sticking. If these symptoms appear without first diagnosing the disease - it is advisable to report to the doctor, or at least check the level of sugar in the blood.
Jare there other symptoms of neuropathy that help us recognize this disease?
These include: • numbness of the feet, legs, hands, • feeling - alternating - cold or hot, • burning of the skin, • limbs, • pain in the feet and hands, felt - "walking on acute wool" or stubbles, • as a result changed skin innervation - especially at night on cold and humid days - the weight of the quilt or blanket becomes unbearable, • weakness or pain in the muscles of the limbs may occur.
How is the disease going?
Sensory neuropathy is progressive. The pace of disease development depends on whether we treat diabetes more or less correctly, and more specifically on the incidence of hyperglycaemia events, i.e. the time period in which excess blood sugar occurs.
Correct treatment and good control of the blood sugar level inhibit the progression of the disease, it does not eliminate it from the patient's life. The severity of the disorders shows, in all patients, a clear dependence on the duration of diabetes.
What are the health risks?
Patients with sensory neuropathy may not feel small mechanical and thermal injuries or the pressure of ill-fitting shoes. It promotes the formation of calluses and ulcers. If the sensory disorder is also accompanied by damage to the motor nerves, there is muscular atrophy and foot deformation. We deal with the so-called diabetic foot syndrome. In the later period of the disease, similar ailments may appear in the hands.
Ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
Consultation by prof. dr hab. med. Andrzej Danysz
