Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage that is caused by diabetes. It is not completely known why this common diabetic complication develops. Contributing factors include uncontrolled glucose (blood sugar) and damage to blood vessels, which supply nutrients and oxygen to the nerves.

Types of diabetic neuropathy include:

• Peripheral neuropathy. Mainly affects the limbs.
  
  
• Autonomic neuropathy. Affects heart rate, breathing, digestion, perspiration, blood pressure, sexual function, and bladder and bowel functions.
  
  
• Focal neuropathy. Affects a single nerve, usually in face, eyes or feet.
  
  
• Proximal neuropathy. Mainly affects the hips, thighs and buttocks.

About 60 to 70 percent of diabetic individuals have neuropathy, the U.S. National Institutes of Health estimates. It is most likely to occur in people who have a long history of diabetes and uncontrolled glucose. However, diabetic neuropathy has also been found in people with prediabetes.

Nerves carry messages between the brain and spinal cord and the other parts of the body. The most common symptoms of neuropathy include pain, tingling and numbness in an affected limb. Other indicators may include blurred vision, impaired hearing or sexual dysfunction, but sometimes there are no symptoms.

A key to treatment is glycemic control. Keeping glucose at normal or near-normal levels will help lessen or even eliminate the symptoms of neuropathy. For the pain of neuropathy, a physician may recommend prescription or over-the-counter medications or topical creams.

Treatment can reduce the symptoms, but there is no known cure for neuropathy. Ways to prevent or slow the progression of the condition include control of glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol. Scientists are continuing to research the causes of neuropathy and testing potential treatments.