Are You at Risk for Diabetic Neuropathy?
Are You at Risk for Diabetic Neuropathy?If you have diabetes, chances are good that you already have some form of nerve pain or 
nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy.You may have tingling, pain, or numbness in your feet and hands — common signs of the diabetic nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy.Sometimes, nerve damage starts even before a person is diagnosed with diabetes. Or you may have damage to the nerves that send signals to your heart, stomach, bladder, or sex organs, called autonomic neuropathy. Nerve damage can also be “silent,” meaning you have no symptoms at all.
As many as 54 million Americans have prediabetes — a condition where blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but not high enough to qualify as diabetes — says the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Add to that the nearly 21 million Americans already coping with full diabetes, and you can see how common nerve pain may be.
A healthy lifestyle helps lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other diabetes complications, as well. So know your risk for complications, and work to control the ones you can control.
1. You’ve Had Diabetes for Many Years.
The risk: Nerve pain and damage is more common in people who have had diabetes for more than 25 years.
What you can do: Do your best to monitor your blood sugar at home as often as advised by your doctor. The NDIC also advises having the A1c test, a blood test that measures your average amount of blood glucose over the previous 2 to 3 months, at least twice a year.
