Could You Have Diabetic Neuropathy And Not KnowIt? (NAPSA)—Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) is a serious complication of diabetes that leads to sensations of pain and/or numbness, tingling or “pins and needles” in the feet and hands. Although the majority of people with diabetes experience symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy, only a small minority have been diagnosed with this condition. Nerves send messages to and from your brain about pain, temperature and touch. They tell your muscles when and how to move. Left untreated, diabetic neuropathy can lead to foot injury, infections and even amputations. Symptoms Reporting symptoms to your health care provider is impor- tant. Place a check mark (wv) next to any symptom you have. Take this list to your next office visit. Ll Myfeet tingle. 1 I feel “pins and needles” in myfeet. 1 I have burning, stabbing or shooting pains in myfeet. 1 My feet are very sensitive to touch. For example, sometimes it hurts to have the bedcovers touch myfeet. 1 Myfeet hurt at night. 1 My feet and hands get very cold or very hot. 1 My feet are numb andfeel dead. (1 I don’t feel pain in myfeet, American ,, Diabetes 4. Association. Cure * Care Commitment even when I have blisters or injuries. LI I can’t feel my feet when ’m walking. 1 The muscles in my feet and legs are weak. 1 I’m unsteady when I stand or walk. (1 I have trouble feeling heat or cold in myfeet or hands. 1 I have open sores (also called ulcers) on my feet andlegs. Thesesores heal very slowly. 1 It seems like the muscles and bones in my feet have changed shape. 1 Other symptoms Treatment For information about treatments available to relieve pain and reduce burning, tingling and numbness, talk with your health care provider. To learn more—and to get your free copy of All About Nerve Damage & Diabetes, the newest title in the Diabetes Advisor series—call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETESorvisit the Web site at www.diabetes.org/neuropathy. This resource is made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer Inc.
