Diabetic Neuropathy 3 Ways Doctors Can Test You For Nerve Damage
Many symptoms derive from diabetes that are by themselves pervasive and debilitating illnesses. Among these dangerous symptoms is nerve damage which is the result of having high blood glucose levels for 10 years or more. Nerve disease resulting from diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy. The highest rate of diabetic neuropathy is among persons who have had diabetes for 25 years or more.
Symptoms depend on the type of neuropathy and the nerves affected. Unfortunately a person may not experience any symptoms for a long time or may dismiss minor symptoms as signs of getting old. Symptoms can range from numbness, tingling or pain in the legs, feet, toes, arms and fingers to nausea and irregular bowel movements. Part of the routine care that diabetics receive should include comprehensive physical examinations. Diagnosing neuropathy in diabetics who are not yet showing symptoms of nerve damage can be the difference between enjoying good health or risking the loss of a limb in the more severe instances. Once diabetic neuropathy is diagnosed, medications or treatment can then be prescribed to the patient and in many cases their nerve symptoms will improve.
Diabetic neuropathy is most prevalent in men and women over the age of 40 who have had difficulty managing their blood glucose levels and have high levels of blood fat and high blood presssure. Lifestyle factors such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can exacerbate nerve damage in diabetics.
Testing For Nerve Functions In Diabetics
A diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy is made based on symptoms and physical examination or testing nerve function. There are various ways a doctor can test the function of your nerves in order to determine whether or not you have diabetic neuropathy. Among these, quantitative sensory testing (QST) is most frequently used to ascertain loss of sensation and abnormal irritablity of nerves. QST measures the patient’s response to stimuli, such as pressure, vibration, and temperature, to check for neuropathy.
1. Testing Using Pressure or Light Touch: By testing a patient using light touch methods, doctors can determine which nerves are damaged, if any. Nerve fibers within the body pick up and sense anything that touches the skin, sending signals to your brain that you are experiencing a sensation. A healthy individual without nerve damage can feel the sensation produced by a filament tool that uses 1 gram of force to bend. This is most often used to determine sensitivity in the foot.
2. Testing Using Vibration: Vibration testing is another method used to determine sensation. Usually an instrument such as a tuning fork is held a certain distance from the area being tested to ascertain whether the patient detects any sensation. Using vibration testing, doctors can determine abnormalities of the body’s larger nerve fibers.
3. Testing Using Temperature: Temperature testing is very important because it can determine the function of the body’s smaller nerve fibers. If the small fibers are damaged, then it is possible for you to lose your ability to feel the sensations of extremely hot temperatures such as boiling water or extremely cold temperatures such as frozen items.
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