Unfortunately, individuals with diabetes may experience nerve damage that cannot be reversed. This is due to the body's inability to naturally repair damaged nerve tissues. Those who have diabetes may also suffer from a specific type of nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy, which commonly affects the feet. If you are seeking Neuropathy Pain Relief in Fresno TX, it is important to understand the underlying cause of your neuropathy and seek proper treatment. There is no cure for diabetes-related neuropathy.
However, you can control it with medications, therapy, and tighter blood sugar control. In a recent issue of JCI, the same group of researchers advanced their observations by reporting on the effect of VEGF gene transfer on experimental diabetic neuropathy (1). Using a design similar to that of the previous report, they studied the functions of peripheral nerves in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin. The large nerve fibers were tested by measuring nerve conduction velocities, while the function of the small fibers was evaluated by testing the movement of the tail in response to a harmful thermal stimulus. Surprisingly, the transfer of the VEGF gene 12 weeks after the induction of diabetes completely restored the nerve function anomalies studied in both large and small fibers.
In addition, VEGF restored nerve blood flow and the number of nerve vessels to the levels observed in non-diabetic animals, indicating that VEGF exerts its beneficial effects by promoting angiogenesis in peripheral nerves. The authors observed similar effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, indicating that these effects are not specific to a single animal model. While it is tempting to speculate that the observed improvement in nerve electrophysiology must be the basis for a considerable normalization of nerve pathology, this hypothesis still exists has not been verified by histological analysis. Sometimes neuropathy can improve over time if the cause is treated, but in some people the damage may be permanent or worsen over time.
Often, treatment for neuropathy focuses on symptoms, not on the nerve damage itself. 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.
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. There is also ongoing research to determine if the use of electrical stimulation (TENS, for its acronym in English, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) can help in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. This means that, in the future, between 29 and 34 million Americans could be affected by diabetic neuropathy.
This condition is progressive, and if you act at the first signs of a problem (you may feel mild numbness and tingling in your feet), you may be able to reverse this nerve damage. The extent of this improvement depends on several factors, such as the type of diabetes, the duration of the illness, the patient's age, and the severity of the diabetes. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), more than 30% of people with diabetes have problems with the autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic functions such as digestion. Therefore, VEGF may act to reverse the catabolic phase locally, by increasing blood flow to the affected limb, rather than reversing conditions that are specifically related to the development of diabetic neuropathy in humans.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a generalized complication of diabetes, causing nerve damage primarily in the legs and feet. Topping this list is diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage, which affects up to half of people with diabetes. WinSantor is a clinical-phase biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing treatments for peripheral neuropathies. While complete reversal may be unattainable, recent research shows that improved diabetes control can also lead to significant improvements in neuropathy symptoms.
You'll also need to visit your diabetes professional (such as an endocrinologist) regularly to make adjustments to your diabetes management plan. The fact that VEGF induced similar effects in the ischemic hind limb model of rabbits further supports this possibility, since lower limb ischemia in humans does not cause neuropathy severe enough to be comparable to that seen in diabetes. If you don't already see a specialist in the treatment of metabolic disorders and diabetes (endocrinologist), you'll likely be referred to one if you start to show signs of diabetes-related complications. Talk to your health care team that specializes in diabetes for advice if you think you are developing any signs of neuropathy.
The main concern of a person with diabetes related to sensory neuropathy is the loss of feeling in the feet, especially if you don't realize that this has happened.
