Diabetes refers to a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar levels to become dangerously high.
Worryingly, the chronic condition is often reluctant to rear its ugly head, showing only subtle symptoms at first.
However, like all chronic conditions, there is a scale of seriousness, so any unusual changes should not be ignored.
In some cases, diabetes can progress to diabetic neuropathy and trigger six warning signs.
Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, said: “Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that occurs in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
“Diabetic sensory neuropathy is a sensory disturbance in the peripheral regions of the body – the hands, arms, feet or legs.
“Up to 50 percent of those with diabetes will develop neuropathic symptoms as the disease progresses.”
The doctor recommended looking out for the following signs in your hands, arms, feet, or legs:
- Tingling and numbness
- An inability to feel pain
- Loss of temperature sensation
- Loss of position sense (meaning you cannot tell the position of your joints)
- Pain in the feet, hands or limbs
- Weakness in the limb or the joint.
Dr Lee said: “These are felt at the distal aspect of their limbs, usually first in their hands and feet, but then progressing proximally to affect the feet, ankles and wrists, in a ‘glove and stocking’ distribution.
“All of this is important because the person may not feel pain, for example, if they burn their foot or develop a blister, and hence do not get a quick reaction to remove the foot from the heat or change their footwear as would be the normal response.
“[Furthermore], diabetics are at high risk of developing foot and leg ulcers.
“In due course, this can lead to osteomyelitis, gangrene, and sepsis and require limb amputation.
“To prevent this from happening, those with diabetes should have regular foot checkups.”
If you experience any symptoms that could be pointing to diabetic neuropathy, the doctor recommended seeing your GP.
While this condition can occur in already diagnosed diabetics, it could also be the “first sign”.
Fortunately, once you are diagnosed with the blood sugar condition, tight management of your glucose levels can help minimise your risk of peripheral neuropathy, the doctor added.
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