A majority of people who suffer from diabetes are affected by type 2 diabetes. Diabetes occurs when your body either ignores insulin or your pancreas won’t create enough insulin. This can trigger multiple health problems.

The onset of type 2 diabetes can be delayed, possibly even prevented, with a healthy lifestyle. If left unchecked, diabetes can lead to serious health problems which include kidney failure, heart disease, circulatory problems and nerve damage, just to name a few.

Once diabetes starts affecting the nerves (also known as neuropathy), individuals may experience one or more of these symptoms:

• Loss of muscle control and sensation
• Numbness, tingling, burning or pain in toes, feet, legs, hands and fingers
• Sharp cramps
• Extreme sensitivity to touch
• Loss of balance or coordination

Losing sensation can be a dangerous situation for some diabetics because small cuts and bruises go undetected, which can trigger infections that can spread to the bone due to a weakened immune system.

In these situations, a physical therapist can help reduce the risk of injury, regain muscle control and improve the quality of life.

Come back next week to learn what you can do to control your diabetic neuropathy and prevent injury.  Thanks for reading!

Renee Threlfall, MPT