[쉬운 신경질환사전]is a series of articles designed by neurologist Hanseung Lee (Herbal Neurology Clinic) and Hidak on the topic of neurological diseases in everyday life. Common but vague symptoms such as ‘eyelid tremors’, ‘dizziness’, ‘drip hands and feet’, and ‘various headaches’ are explained in a way that is easy for the public to understand.
Diabetes adversely affects the nervous system. It can cause all kinds of peripheral neuropathy, and even peripheral neuropathy caused by other causes is easily aggravated by diabetes. For this reason, diabetes is responsible for most of the causes of autonomic disorders. There are few peripheral neuropathies that cause autonomic neuropathy other than diabetes. If diabetes is not well managed, it can impair brain function, increasing the likelihood of cognitive dysfunction.
Blood sugar control｜Source: Getty Images Bank
Nervous tissue with high fuel efficiency, diabetes that interferes with energy flow
All cells and tissues in the human body basically use oxygen to oxidize glucose for energy. Nervous tissue uses a lot of glucose and oxygen compared to other tissues. Therefore, if the energy supply is insufficient, the function will be damaged.
The problem is that diabetes is a disease that prevents glucose in the blood from entering cells. When diabetes occurs, the energy input to the nerve cells is significantly reduced, so the function of the nerve tissue begins to decline. If not properly maintained, nerves will eventually get sick and die. If diabetes is not properly managed, this process can eventually 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 skeletal muscles or internal organs will suffer. Most internal organ dysfunctions develop into symptoms of an autonomic disorder. When there is an abnormality in the sensory nerve, tingling occurs, and when the function is lost, the sensation disappears. The following are the characteristics and locations of symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
– Mononeuropathy: Only one peripheral nerve is involved. Only that nerve area is affected.
-Polyneuropathy: Mononeuropathy is spread throughout the body.
-Polyneuropathy: All peripheral nerves deteriorate at once, and the pathology develops in a long nerve sequence, and the symptoms are severe. Therefore, it is typical that abnormalities appear from the toes.
-Neurorootopathy: Multiple nerve roots are intertwined to form a single peripheral nerve. In neurological pathology, abnormalities in an area other than that of the peripheral nerves appear.
-Plexusopathy: The section before the nerve roots are organized into peripheral nerves is the plexus. When the disease occurs here, severe neuralgia occurs in the affected upper or lower extremities.
If you have diabetes, you can develop any of the types of peripheral neuropathy listed above, but polyneuropathy is the most common. This is because diabetes affects not just certain nerves, but all peripheral nerves.
Blood sugar control is very important for prevention.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is difficult to cure once it occurs. Instead, it continues to worsen, so thorough prevention is necessary. A large study, recently published, found that continuous control of blood sugar provided some relief from symptoms. Therefore, proper blood sugar control 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% control or less.
Help = Consultant Hidak Hanseung Lee (Neurologist at the Herbal Neurology Clinic)
