Education


Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. There are three main forms of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes. Please see www.diabetes.org for more information about the various forms of diabetes.


Complications
Neuropathy

It is estimated that approximately 6 million American’s have some form of neuropathy in varying levels of severity.

Click on the video below to watch NeuroEffex medical advisor Dr. Aaron Vinik of Eastern Virginia Medical School discuss neuropathy and it’s symptoms. This program originally appeared on dLife – The first national weekly television show created exclusively for people with diabetes and those who care for them. dLifeTV airs every Sunday evening on CNBC at 7:00pm ET, 6:00pm CT, 4:00pm PT and other times.




Approximately half of all patients with diabetes have some form of neuropathy. In most cases, diabetic neuropathy is associated with oxidative stress and an excess of free radicals that contribute to nerve damage. Neuropathy is particularly troublesome because patients do not need to be symptomatic to be damaged – especially in the beginning phases of the disease. It is imperative that people with diabetes take steps to understand their susceptibility to neuropathy and that they consult with their physician. It is possible for neuropathy to be prevented with glycemic control and antioxidants. Please review our references to scientific literature to understand more about antioxidants and neuropathy.

There are two main forms of neuropathy: peripheral and autonomic.

Somatic neuropathy affects voluntary movements, cognitive function (loss of sensory perception) and causes pain, weakness and tingling.

Autonomic neuropathy is the more severe form of neuropathy as it affects the autonomic nervous system. This can lead the following symptoms in varying levels of severity:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Bladder control
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Dizziness
  • Excessive sweating
  • Failure of pupillary adaptation to light causing night blindness
  • Cardiovascular dysfunction

Other complications of diabetes:

Retinopathy, nephropathy, heart disease, stroke, and poor circulation (often leading to amputation).