Any polyneuropathy is a dangerous disease, during the development of which severe damage to the peripheral nervous system begins.
The first symptoms are manifested in the disruption of the distal sites, and then gradually begins proximal proliferation. The main symptom of this disorder is the presence of peripheral paralysis.
Contents
- Danger of diabetes for the nervous system of the body
- Causes of the disease
- Complex of symptoms
- Symptoms of a positive genesis
- Negative symptoms
- Classification of the disease
- Diagnosis of the disease
- What can I do?
- For the Prevention of
The Danger of Diabetes for the Nervous System of the Body
In many diabetics, complications such as diabetic polyneuropathy of the upper and lower extremities will eventually develop.
The essence of the disease lies in the defeat of the human nervous system, which manifests itself in various symptoms. This complication refers to slowly progressing diseases, and over time the person completely loses functioning
Usually, diabetic polyneuropathy appears only after many years of the presence of the underlying disease( diabetes).In most cases( and this is about 60%), such complications appear only after 20 years of diabetes. However, there are situations where the complication can begin already after 5 years after the onset of the disease.
The onset of the disease, affecting the peripheral nerve fibers, proceeds as an asymptomatic dysfunction. First, the excitation rate decreases and on the big toes there is a gradual loss of vibration sensitivity.
There is also a complete absence, or a significant decrease in amyl reflex. Further development of the disease becomes the cause of progression in the lower part of the extremities of hypesthesia of sensitivity.
Causes of the disease
As with any disease, diabetic polyneuropathy has its causes, because of which it arises:
- The blood sugar level is higher than the norm of .Due to this, destructive actions in the nervous system begin. After, due to increased sugar( glucose), the nutrition of nerve cells is disturbed, they begin hypoxia.
- Long term development of diabetes .Since for the correct operation of nerves they need regular receipt of vitamins and trace elements, during the course of the disease, there is a violation of the process of assimilation and processing of any components. As a result, the nerve tissue begins to lack nutrition, which in turn provokes the development of polyneuropathy.
- Age of the .The older the person, the greater the chance of developing this disease due to less resistance of the organism to changes.
- The presence of bad habits .In cases where a person smokes or consumes alcohol, he starts metabolic disorders, thereby increasing the likelihood of developing the disease.
Complex of symptoms
Symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy can be divided into two groups - active and passive.
Signs of a positive genesis
To this group of manifestations of the disease, it is possible to attribute, first of all, burning sensations on one limb and throughout the body. They are most noticeable in the most relaxed state, most often at night.
The disease also manifests itself in pains of the "dagger" type that appear in the pharynx or in the liver and abdomen.
It is worth noting and such possible manifestations:
- tingling;
- lumbago, which is more like electric shocks;
- allodynia - the appearance of painful sensations, even from light touches;
- Hyperalgesia is an increased level of sensitivity from any pain stimuli.
Positive such symptoms can be called only conditionally, primarily because when they appear, patients immediately begin to engage in their health. Also, due to the fact that this group of symptoms appears at the initial stage of the development of the disease, when diabetes is not yet strongly developed.
Negative symptomatology
This group includes passive symptoms characteristic of the disease. The first thing to note is the stiffness of the limbs when it becomes difficult to move them, and any movement made causes pain. Here the symptoms are similar to the diabetic foot disease in the initial stage.
Also negative symptoms include:
- Constant tingling;
- feeling of numbness;
- sensation of necrosis of limbs;
- disruption of the vestibular apparatus, which affects the stability during walking.
Such symptoms already indicate the development of the late stage of the disease, as well as the fact that serious negative and irreversible changes have taken place in the body.
Classification of the disease
There are three types of disorders:
- Syndrome generalized symmetrical polyneuropathy, which affects the most sensitive, as well as motor nerve fibers. In this case, an adjacent lesion of the sensory and motor nerves occurs, and hyperglycemic neuropathy develops.
- syndrome of vegetative diabetic neuropathy, due to the fact that during such manifestation of the disease, the defeat of various nerve fibers begins. This leads to the development of such types of neuropathy, as: shipmotor, respiratory, cardiovascular, as well as gastrointestinal and urogenital.
- Syndrome focal diabetic neuropathy, can be divided into several subspecies, having their own specific causes and clinical manifestations. Tunneling neuropathy, which most often occurs in elderly people with type 2 diabetes. To its negative manifestations can be attributed paresthesia( sometimes dysesthesia) of the fingers due to disruption of the work of the middle nerve. Cranial appearance of the disorder, a very rare type of disease that develops in people with a long period of illness. Diabetic amyotrophy often appears in people older than 50 years with type 2 diabetes. Has severe pain symptoms and is the cause of atrophy of the muscles of the thigh. Diabetic radiculoneuropathy, during it can both affect sensitivity and develop hyperalgesia. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which develops during progressive polyneuropathy. It does not have distinctive differential diagnostic criteria by which it could be diagnosed.
Diagnosis of the disease
The detection of the disease begins with examination by a doctor-endocrinologist. He must listen to complaints and carry out a number of specific manipulations with the help of which the presence of this ailment will be revealed or denied:
- a foot examination is performed to ascertain the presence of various external defects;
- using a monofilament provides an assessment of tactile sensitivity;
- temperature sensitivity is checked;
- with the help of a tuning fork assess the vibration sensitivity;
- using needles assess the pain sensitivity;
- with a neurological hammer check for tendon reflexes.
In those cases when, during the examination, a doctor suspected of having a neuropathy, he should send the patient for a more detailed examination with laboratory tests for:
- the amount of C-peptide;
- level of glucose;
- the amount of insulin in the patient's blood;
- level of glycated hemoglobin.
What can I do?
Pain relief is difficult to manage, as it is not always possible to achieve complete remission, and the use of simple analgesics is often not justified.
Since the drugs have their side effects, it is very important to keep balance and dosage constantly, reducing the pain syndrome. It is best to use tricyclic antidepressants. Also, Carbamazepine and Baralgin are used, although their effect is ten times weaker.
If long-term use of aldose reductase inhibitors, they will cause an unstable positive effect. But after stopping the drug, all the symptoms will return.
For the complex treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy apply vitamins A, C and E, which have antihypoxic effects, as well as B vitamins that have neurotropic activity.
In case of occurrence of neuropathic edema, it is recommended to use sympathomimetics, and if ulcerative defect and subsequent infection requires the use of antibacterial drugs.
With adequate treatment and constant monitoring of glycemia, the prognosis is quite favorable, but the intensive pains, as well as the progression of the disease, will eventually worsen the patient's quality of life.
For the prevention of
To prevent the development of the disease, it is necessary to regularly monitor blood sugar, take tests.
You also need to constantly monitor the level of blood pressure, follow a diet prescribed by a doctor, and perform therapeutic gymnastics.
It is also recommended to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, as these habits have a very negative effect on metabolism. If you find any symptoms that indicate the presence of nerve damage, you should consult a doctor for advice.