Nerve Pain

Understanding Diabetic Nerve Pain & Symptoms

Diabetes can cause nerve damage often resulting in pain

Did you know that the pain in your feet and hands could be related to your diabetes? It starts with uncontrolled blood sugar. People with diabetes have high blood sugar levels. And over time this may cause permanent damage to the nerves. This nerve damage may cause a distinct pain called diabetic nerve pain.

Your doctor may have mentioned the term neuropathy or peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy is nerve damage that often results in pain. Peripheral neuropathy is neuropathy that occurs in the extremities and may cause pain, such as foot pain or hand pain. The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is diabetes-related nerve damage most commonly felt in the feet and hands, which may or may not be painful. Some people experience this damage as pain, tingling or numbness, while others have no symptoms at all. Diabetic nerve pain from damaged nerves is a unique type of pain that is different from the pain you may experience from a headache, a sprained ankle or arthritis.