Diabetic Neuropathy

When not treated, nerve pain can be crippling and increase your risk of injury. At Border Pain Institute in El Paso, Texas, board-certified pain management specialist Carlos Viesca, MD, and his team provide diabetic neuropathy treatments to ease your pain and lower the risk of complications. Schedule an in-person or telehealth evaluation today by phone or online to be treated for nerve pain.

What is diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by high blood sugar, which can injure nerves — particularly in the legs, feet, arms, or hands. This can cause discomfort and increase your risk of falls and injuries. Treating diabetic neuropathy at Border Pain Institute offers long-lasting symptom relief.

Which symptoms can diabetic neuropathy cause?

Diabetic neuropathy can cause:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Burning pain
• Problems with your digestive system
• Issues with the urinary tract
• Blood vessel and heart problems
• Reduced temperature sensitivity
• Sharp pain
• Cramping
• Touch sensitivity
• Muscle weakness
• Sharp drops in blood pressure
• Sexual dysfunction
• Increased or decreased sweating

These symptoms range from mild to severe and disabling. They can become worse at night. As many as half of people with diabetes develop diabetic neuropathy, which can lead to foot ulcers, infections, and joint or bone damage.

What increases the risk of diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy risk factors include:

• Having diabetes for a long time
• Poor blood sugar control
• Carrying excess body weight
• Unhealthy lifestyle habits
• Kidney disease
• Smoking

Adopting healthy habits, like eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining an ideal body weight, reduces your risk of developing diabetes and improves blood sugar control. You must check your blood sugar regularly if you have diabetes.

How is diabetic neuropathy diagnosed?

Diagnosing diabetic neuropathy consists of a medical history review, vital sign check, physical exam, bloodwork, nerve testing, or other diagnostic tests. Your provider discusses your symptoms and reviews the available pain-relieving treatments.

How does a pain specialist treat diabetic neuropathy?

Treating diabetic neuropathy aims to ease discomfort and prevent the condition from getting worse. Border Pain Institute offers:

• Healthy lifestyle counseling
• Oral medications
• Topical treatments
• Dietary supplements
• Electrical nerve stimulation
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Physical therapy
• Regenerative medicine
• Surgery

It’s crucial to live a healthy lifestyle and see your doctor regularly to ensure that your blood sugar stays within the ideal range.

Your pain specialist follows up to ensure that your pain-reducing treatment works effectively. Call the Border Pain Institute office anytime with concerns or questions.

Schedule an in-person or telehealth diabetic neuropathy consultation at Border Pain Institute today by phone or online to determine which pain management treatments are right for you.