Treating Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a type of nerve damage associated with diabetes that most commonly affects the peripheries of the body (toes, feet, legs, hands, and arms). Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can be painful, debilitating, or even fatal. The most common neuropathy symptom people seek medical attention for is pain. Since diabetic neuropathy currently does not have a cure, the best thing people can do is treat the pain and make sure their blood sugar levels are well controlled. Diabetic neuropathy symptoms are often worse at night. Symptoms include:
- Lack of sensation to pain or temperature in those areas
- A tingling, burning or needle pricking feeling
- Sharp pain or cramps
- Extreme sensitivity to touch
- Problems with balance and coordination
People who have had diabetes for at least 25 years have the highest rates of nerve damage. Neuropathies are also more common in people who cannot keep their blood sugar under control, have high blood pressure, or are obese. Current treatment options for pain are limited by poor effectiveness and high rates of side effects, leaving many patients without adequate pain control. With chronic use, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) pose a potentially serious gastrointestinal and liver toxicity risk. Opioids are commonly prescribed for moderate-to-severe pain but are limited by safety and tolerability issues and have high abuse rates. Opioid-associated death rates have also increased over the past two decades. Given the limited treatment options, combined with the risks and ineffectiveness of currently available treatments, developing new treatments is vital for better pain management and health outcomes.
