[쉬운 신경질환사전]is a series of articles created by neurologist Hanseung Lee (Herb Neurology Clinic) and Hidak on the topic of neurological diseases in everyday life. Common but vague symptoms such as “eyelid tremors”, “dizziness”, “numbness of hands and feet” and “various headaches” are explained in a way that is easy to understand for the general public.
Diabetes negatively affects the nervous system. It can cause all types of peripheral neuropathy, and peripheral neuropathy caused by other causes is also easily exacerbated by diabetes. For this reason, diabetes accounts for most of the causes of autonomic disorders. There aren’t many peripheral neuropathies that cause autonomic neuropathy other than diabetes. If diabetes is not managed well, it can impair brain function, increasing the likelihood of cognitive dysfunction.
Blood Glucose Management ｜ Source: Getty Images Bank
Fuel-efficient nerve tissue, diabetes that interferes with the flow of energy
All cells and tissues in the human body basically use oxygen to oxidize glucose for energy. Nerve tissue consumes a lot of glucose and oxygen than other tissues. Therefore, if the power supply is insufficient, the function will be damaged.
The problem is that diabetes is a disease that prevents blood glucose from entering cells. When diabetes occurs, the energy supply to the nerve cells is dramatically reduced, so the function of the nerve tissue begins to deteriorate. If not properly maintained, the nerves eventually get sick and die. If diabetes is not properly controlled, this process can lead to peripheral neuropathy.
There are three main types of symptoms when there is an abnormality in the peripheral nerves. If the motor nerve is abnormal, the function of the skeletal muscle or internal organs will suffer. Most internal organ dysfunctions turn into autonomic disorder symptoms. When there is an abnormality in the sensory nerve, tingling occurs and when function is lost, the sensation disappears. The following are the characteristics and locations of the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
– Mononeuropathy: only one peripheral nerve is involved. Only that nerve area is affected.
-Polineuropathy: Mononeuropathy is widespread throughout the body.
-Polineuropathy: all peripheral nerves deteriorate at the same time and the pathology develops in a long nerve sequence and the symptoms are severe. Therefore, it is characteristic that anomalies appear from the toes.
-Neurorootopathy: multiple nerve roots are intertwined to form a peripheral nerve. In neuroroot disease, abnormalities appear in an area other than that of the peripheral nerves.
-Plexusopathy: the section before nerve roots are organized into peripheral nerves is the plexus. When the disease occurs here, severe neuralgia occurs in the affected upper or lower limbs.
If you have diabetes, you can develop any of the forms of peripheral neuropathy listed above, but polyneuropathy is the most common. This is because diabetes affects not just some nerves, but all peripheral nerves.
Controlling blood glucose is very important for prevention.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is difficult to improve once it occurs. Rather, it continues to get worse, so thorough prevention is needed. A large recently published study found that continuous blood glucose control provided some symptom relief. Therefore, proper blood sugar management is very important.
In my experience, when the patient’s glycated hemoglobin is 7.0% or higher, the neuropathy does not improve and the symptoms of neuropathy due to other causes also worsen. On the other hand, no neurological problems were found in patients with 6.7% or less control.
Help = Hidak Consulting Doctor Hanseung Lee (Neurologist at Herb Neurology Clinic)
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