With better blood sugar control, symptoms of diabetes-related neuropathy, such as numbness and other abnormal sensations, may disappear within a year. The more severe the neuropathy, the less likely it is to be reversible. The bottom line is that, unless neuropathy is in its early stages, the condition is virtually irreversible. That said, since neuropathy is progressive, there are ways to stop the condition, contain the damage, and make the person more comfortable with Diabetes Treatment near Brookside DE.Another basis for healthy skepticism may stem from the fact that VEGF is just one of many factors that have been shown to have these dramatic effects on experimental neuropathy in rodents.
In experimental neuropathy, several studies have demonstrated a similar reversion of nerve function and blood flow to normal levels due to various factors, but without affecting human neuropathy. These factors include aldose reductase inhibitors, vasodilators such as prazosin, nifedipine, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, ET-1 antagonists, aminoguanidine, which inhibits AGE formation, α-linolenic acid, nerve growth factors, acetyl-L-carnitine, and desforoxamine (20). This has led researchers to question the validity of experimental rodent models as representative of human diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy cannot be reversed. However, a person can take steps to slow the progression of the condition and control symptoms.
While it's not possible to reverse diabetic neuropathy, people can take steps to reduce the risk of serious symptoms and additional complications. Sometimes neuropathy can improve over time if the cause is treated, but in some people the damage can be permanent or worsen with the weather. Neuropathy is often treated for symptoms, not for the nerve damage itself. In addition to medical treatments, lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
The main histological changes in diabetic polyneuropathy are the loss of myelinated and unmyelinated fibers and segmental demyelination. Although the peripheral nerves of diabetic patients are clearly hypoxic, it is not certain whether this hypoxia can cause increased VEGF expression, as occurs in muscles and the retina. In addition, VEGF can cause peripheral edema in the lower limb, and this can have serious consequences in diabetic neuropathic patients. Finally, diabetes alters the hepatic desaturation of delta-6 from dietary linolenic acid to α-linolenic acid and reduces vasoactive prostanoid synthesis in nerve vessels.
Healthcare providers diagnose neuropathy as diabetes-related if you have diabetes and can't find another cause for it. To begin with, a healthcare provider will ask you detailed questions about your medical history and diabetes management. Diabetic neuropathy is a family of progressive nerve disorders that can develop when a person has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Physical therapy is another beneficial tool for controlling diabetic neuropathy, helping to maintain mobility and strength, especially in people who have muscle weakness.
Good glycemic control, the only proven treatment for diabetic neuropathy in humans (), is only known to prevent the development or stop the progression of the disease and has not been shown to reverse established lesions. You can help prevent diabetic neuropathy by seeking support to stay physically active and follow a healthy, balanced diet. The primary concern of sensory neuropathy for a person with diabetes is loss of feeling in their feet, especially if they don't realize that this has happened. Other physiological changes that accompany the onset of diabetes may also contribute to peripheral neuropathy.
In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, increased VEGF expression has been reported in the sciatic nerve and in the dorsal root ganglia. Although diabetic peripheral neuropathy can affect any area of the body, it most often develops in the lower legs and, less commonly, in the arms and hands.
