Definition
Neuropathy is the medical term for nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes; up to 26 percent of people with type 2 diabetes have evidence of nerve damage at the time their diabetes is diagnosed.
High blood sugar can injure nerve fibers throughout your body, but nerves in your legs and feet are damaged most often.
Depending on the affected nerves, symptoms of diabetic neuropathy can range from pain and numbness in your extremities to problems with your digestive system, urinary tract, blood vessels and heart. For some people, these symptoms are mild; for others, diabetic neuropathy can be painful, disabling and even fatal.
