Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your nervous system healthy.What are diabetes problems? Too much sugar in the blood for a long time causes diabetes problems. This high blood sugar can damage many parts of the body, such as the eyes, heart, and nerves throughout the body. Diabetes problems can be scary, but there is a lot you can do to prevent them or slow them down. This booklet is about nerve problems that can be caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems. What should I do each day to stay healthy with diabetes? Follow the healthy eating plan that you and your doctor or dietitian dietitian /di·e·ti·tian/ (di?e-tish´in) one skilled in the use of diet in health and disease. di·e·ti·tian or di·e·ti·cian n. A person specializing in dietetics. have worked out. Eat your meals and snacks at around the same times each day. Be active a total of 30 minutes most days. Ask your doctor what activities are best for you. Take your diabetes medicine at the same times each day. Check your blood sugar every day. Each time you check your blood sugar, write the number in your record book. Call your doctor if your numbers are too high or too low for 2 to 3 days. Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, sores, swelling, redness, or sore toenails. Brush and floss (Free, Libre and Open Source Software) See free software and open source. your teeth and gums every day. Don't smoke. What can I do to prevent diabetes from damaging my nervous system? The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, or DCCT, was the largest, most comprehensive diabetes study ever conducted at the time. The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducted this clinical study of 1,441 volunteers , a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, showed that people who kept their blood sugar close to normal were able to lower their risk of nerve damage. Here is what you can do to prevent nerve damage: * Keep your blood sugar as close to normal as you can. * Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. * Take care of your feet (see pages 4 and 5). * Tell your doctor about any problems you have with * Your feet and legs. * Your stomach, bowels, or bladder. Also tell your doctor if you * Have problems when you have sex. * Cannot always tell when your blood sugar is too low. * Feel dizzy when you go from lying down to sitting or standing. What can I do to take care of my feet? * Wash your feet in warm water every day. Make sure the water is not too hot by testing the temperature with your elbow. Do not soak your feet. Dry your feet well, especially between your toes. * Look at your feet every day to check for sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other problems. Checking every day is even more important if you have nerve damage or poor blood flow. If you cannot bend over Bend over may refer to the action of bending one's body over, as in to pick up something, or, for example, as the hydra does in order to move when hunting, in dancing (like in the various breakdance moves), gymnastics, and sports (like snap football). or pull your foot up to check your feet, use a mirror. If you cannot see well, ask someone else to check your feet. * If your skin is dry, rub lotion on your feet after you wash and dry them. Do not put lotion between your toes. * File corns and calluses corns and calluses, thickenings of the outer layer of skin where there is irritation or constant pressure. Corns are cone-shaped with their points protruding into the dermis, or inner layer of skin. gently with an emery board emery board n. A nail file consisting of a strip of cardboard coated with powdered emery. emery board Noun a strip of cardboard coated with crushed emery, for filing one's fingernails or pumice pumice (pŭm`ĭs), volcanic glass formed by the solidification of lava that is permeated with gas bubbles. Usually found at the surface of a lava flow, it is colorless or light gray and has the general appearance of a rock froth. stone. Do this after your bath or shower. Move the emery board in only one direction. * Cut your toenails once a week. Cut toenails when they are soft from washing. Cut them to the shape of the toe and not too short. Do not cut into the corners because you might cut the skin. Sharp edges can make a sore that can get infected. File toenails with an emery board. If you cannot cut your own toenails, ask someone who can or go to a foot doctor. * Always wear shoes or slippers. Never walk barefoot, even when you are at home. * Always wear socks or stockings. Do not wear socks or knee-high stockings that are too tight below your knee. * Wear shoes that fit Shoes That Fit is a non-profit organization based in Claremont, CA that provides shoes and other clothing to kids in need. Shoes That Fit began in 1992 helping children at one elementary school in Pomona, CA. well. Buy shoes made of canvas or leather. Shop for shoes at the end of the day when your feet are bigger. Break in shoes slowly. Wear them 1 to 2 hours each day for the first 1 to 2 weeks. * Make sure your doctor checks your feet at each checkup check·up n. 1. An examination or inspection. 2. A general physical examination. checkup See Yearly checkup. . What does my nervous system do? Nerves carry messages back and forth between the brain and other parts of the body. All of your nerves together make up the nervous system. Some nerves tell the brain what is happening in the body. For example, when you step on a tack, the nerve in your foot tells the brain about the pain. Other nerves tell the body what to do. For example, nerves from the brain tell your stomach when it is time to move food into your intestines. How can diabetes hurt my nervous system? Having high blood sugar for many years can damage the blood vessels Blood vessels Tubular channels for blood transport, of which there are three principal types: arteries, capillaries, and veins. Only the larger arteries and veins in the body bear distinct names. that bring oxygen to some nerves. High blood sugar can also hurt the covering on the nerves. Damaged nerves may stop sending messages. Or they may send messages too slowly or at the wrong times. Diabetic neuropathy Diabetic Neuropathy Definition Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder caused by diabetes mellitus. Diabetic neuropathy may be diffuse, affecting several parts of the body, or focal, affecting a specific nerve and part of the body. (ne-ROP-uh-thee) is the medical name for damage to the nervous system from diabetes. How can diabetes damage to the peripheral nerves Peripheral nerves Nerves throughout the body that carry information to and from the spinal cord. Mentioned in: Amyloidosis, Charcot Marie Tooth Disease affect me? * Peripheral nerves go to the arms, hands, legs, and feet. Damage to these nerves can make your arms, hands, legs, or feet feel numb. Also, you might not be able to feel pain, heat, or cold when you should. You may feel shooting pains or burning or tingling tin·gle v. tin·gled, tin·gling, tin·gles v.intr. 1. To have a prickling, stinging sensation, as from cold, a sharp slap, or excitement: tingled all over with joy. , like "pins and needles pins and needles pl.n. A tingling sensation felt in a part of the body numbed from lack of circulation. Idiom: on pins and needles In a state of tense anticipation. ." These feelings are often worse at night. They can make it hard to sleep. Most of the time these feelings are on both sides of your body, like in both of your feet. But they can be on just one side. Peripheral nerve damage can change the shape of your feet. Foot muscles get weak and the tendons in the foot get shorter. You can get special shoes that are made to fit softly around your sore feet or feet that have changed shape. These special shoes help protect your feet. Medicare and other health insurance programs may pay for special shoes. Talk to your doctor about how and where to get these shoes. How can diabetes damage to the autonomic autonomic /au·to·nom·ic/ (aw?to-nom´ik) not subject to voluntary control. See under system. au·to·nom·ic adj. 1. Functionally independent; not under voluntary control. nerves affect me? * Autonomic nerves help you know your blood sugar is low. Some people take diabetes medicines that can accidentally make their blood sugar too low. Damage to the autonomic nerves can make it hard for them to feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia hypoglycemia: see diabetes. hypoglycemia Below-normal levels of blood glucose, quickly reversed by administration of oral or intravenous glucose. Even brief episodes can produce severe brain dysfunction. (hy-po-gly-SEE-mee-uh), which is the medical name for low blood sugar. This kind of damage is more likely to happen if you have had diabetes for a long time. It can also happen if your blood sugar has been too low very often. * Autonomic nerves go to the stomach, intestines, and other parts of the digestive system. Damage to these nerves can make food pass through the digestive system too slowly or too quickly. Nerve problems can cause nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), vomiting vomiting, ejection of food and other matter from the stomach through the mouth, often preceded by nausea. The process is initiated by stimulation of the vomiting center of the brain by nerve impulses from the gastrointestinal tract or other part of the body. , constipation, or diarrhea. Nerve damage to your stomach is called gastroparesis (gas-tro-puh-REE-sis). When nerves to the stomach are damaged, the muscles of the stomach do not work well and food may stay in the stomach too long. Gastroparesis makes it hard to keep blood sugar under control. * Autonomic nerves go to the penis. Damage to these nerves can prevent a man's penis from getting firm when he wants to have sex. This condition is called impotence (IM-po-tents). Many men who have had diabetes for many years experience impotence. * Autonomic nerves go to the vagina vagina: see reproductive system. vagina Genital canal in females. Together with the cavity of the uterus, it forms the birth canal. In most virgins, its external opening is partially closed by a thin fold of tissue (hymen), which has various forms, . Damage to these nerves prevents a woman's vagina from getting wet when she wants to have sex. A woman might also have less feeling around her vagina. * Autonomic nerves go to the heart. Damage to these nerves might make your heart beat faster or at different speeds. * Autonomic nerves go to the bladder. Damage to these nerves can make it hard to know when you should go to the bathroom. The damage can also make it hard to feel when your bladder is empty. Both problems can cause you to hold urine for too long, which can lead to bladder infections bladder infection 1 Cystitis, see there 2 Urinary tract infection, see there . Another problem can be leaking drops of urine accidentally. * Autonomic nerves go to the blood vessels that keep your blood pressure steady. Damage to these nerves makes your blood move too slowly to keep your blood pressure steady when you change position. When you go from lying down to standing up or when you exercise a lot, the sudden changes in blood pressure can make you dizzy. How can diabetes damage to the cranial nerves Cranial nerves The set of twelve nerves found on each side of the head and neck that control the sensory and muscle functions of a number of organs such as the eyes, nose, tongue face and throat. affect me? * Cranial nerves go to the eye muscles. Damage to these nerves usually happens in one eye. The damaged eye does not move together with the healthy one, and you can have double vision. This problem happens all of a sudden and usually lasts for a short time. Your doctor might ask you to wear an eye patch on one eye for a while. * Cranial nerves go to the side of the face. Damage to these nerves usually happens to only one side of the face. This nerve damage causes that side of the face to hang lower or sag. Usually the lower eyelid eyelid /eye·lid/ (-lid) either of two movable folds (upper and lower) protecting the anterior surface of the eyeball. eye·lid or eye-lid n. and lips sag. This problem is called Bell's palsy Bell's palsy n. See facial palsy. Bell's palsy Facial paralysis or weakness with a sudden onset, caused by swelling or inflammation of the seventh cranial nerve, which controls the facial muscles. . It happens all of a sudden and tends to correct itself. How do I know if I have nerve damage? If you have one or more of the problems mentioned in this booklet, you may have some nerve damage from diabetes. Tell your doctor about the problem. Ask your doctor what you can do to make the problem better and to stop it from getting worse. For more information Diabetes Teachers (nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other health professionals) To find a diabetes teacher near you, call the American Association American Association refers to one of the following professional baseball leagues:
Recognized Diabetes Education Programs (teaching programs approved by the American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association, or the ADA, is an American health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of ) To find a program near you, call toll-free at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383), or see www.diabetes.org/education/edustate2.asp on the Internet. Dietitians To find a dietitian near you, call the American Dietetic dietetic /di·e·tet·ic/ (di?ah-tet´ik) pertaining to diet or proper food. di·e·tet·ic adj. 1. Of or relating to diet. 2. Association's National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics dietetics /di·e·tet·ics/ (-iks) the science of diet and nutrition. di·e·tet·ics n. The branch of therapeutics concerned with the practical application of diet in relation to health and disease. toll-free at 1-800-366-1655, or look on the Internet at www.eatright.org and click on "Find a Dietitian." Government The National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS NINDS Neurology A multicenter, double blinded, randomized trial–National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke which evaluated the effects of tPA therapy in Pts with stroke. See Thrombolytic therapy, tPA. ) is part of the National Institutes of Health. To learn more about nervous system problems, write or call National Institutes of Health Neurological Institute at P.O. Box 5801, Bethesda, MD 20824, (301) 496-5751; or see www.ninds.nih.gov on the Internet. More in the series The "Prevent Diabetes Problems" series includes seven booklets that can help you learn more about how to prevent diabetes problems. For free single copies of these booklets, call, write, fax, or email the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 1 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3560 Phone: (301) 654-3327 Fax: (301) 907-8906 Email: ndic@info.niddk.nih.gov These booklets are also available under "Health Information" at www.niddk.nih.gov on the Internet. Acknowledgments The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse(NDIC) is an information dissemination service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health, which is part of the U.S. thanks the people who helped review or field-test this booklet. For American Association of Diabetes Educators Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D.E. Arlington, VT Celia Levesque, R.N., C.D.E. Montgomery, AL. Teresa McMahon Pharm. D., C.D.E. Seattle, WA Barbara Schreiner, R.N., M.N., C.D.E. Galveston, TX For American Diabetes Association Phyllis Barrier, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. Alexandria. VA Linda Haas, Ph.C., R.N., C.D.E. Seattle, WA Kathleen Mahoney, M.S.N., R.N., C.D.E. Drexel Hill, PA Randi Kington, M.S., R.N., C.S., C.D.E. Hartford, CT Diabetes Research and Training Center Albert Einstein School of Medicine Norwalk Hospital Norwalk, CT Jill Ely, R.N., C.D.E. Sam Engel. M.D. Pam Howard, A.P.R.N., C.D.E. Diabetes Research and Training Center Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, IN Madelyn Wheeler, M.S., R.D., F.A.D.A., C.D.E. Diabetes Research and Training Center VA/JDF Diabetes Research Center Vanderbilt School of Medicine Nashville, TN Ok Chon Allison, M.S.N., R.N.C.S., A.N.P,, C.D.E. Barbara Backer, B.S. James W. Pichert, Ph.D. Alvin Powers, M.D. Melissa E. Schweikhart Michael B. Smith Kathleen Wolffe, R.N. Grady Health System Diabetes Clinic Atlanta, GA Ernestine Baker, R.N., F.N.P., C.D.E. Kris Ernst, R.N., C.D.E. Margaret Fowke, R.D., L.D. Kay Mann, R.N., C.D.E. Health Care Financing Administration Baltimore, MD Jan Drass, R.N., C.D.E. Indian Health Service Albuquerque, NM Ruth Bear, R.D., C.D.E. Dorinda Bradley, R.N., C.D.E. Terry Fisher, R.N. Lorraine Valdez, R.N., C.D.E. Indian Health Service Red Lake, MN Charmaine Branchaud, B.S.N., R.N., C.D.E. Medlantic Research Center Washington, DC Resa Levetan, M.D. Texas Diabetes Council Texas Department of Health Austin, TX Luby Garza-Abijaoude, M.S., R.D., L.D. |
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