Peripheral Neuropathy and Type 2 Diabetes

Peripheral Neuropathy can sometimes be attributed to nerve damage caused by injury, but it is more commonly associated with long-term metabolic dysfunction from type 2 diabetes. Because of peripheral neuropathy’s prevalence in diabetic patients, the condition known as Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN), it is perhaps more appropriate in order to distinguish between injury-related peripheral neuropathy and diabetic-related peripheral neuropathy. 

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition in which patients experience pain and numbness in the nerves along the ends of their nervous system, almost exclusively their feet and hands. Because patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes also have a litany of other undesirable side-effects and risk factors, peripheral neuropathy is just one more major condition added to the burden. However, a patient with type 2 diabetes may wonder if they are at risk of peripheral neuropathy and may wrongly feel that the condition cannot or will not manifest in themselves.

Prevalence of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

A recent study conducted by doctors Xiuxiu Liu and Yuyan Xu in 2019 found that, “[d]iabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common cause of neuropathy worldwide. It is estimated to be present in approximately half of those with diabetes, and 10% to 20% have symptoms that are severe enough to warrant treatment”. With peripheral neuropathy likely being a result of diabetes, at least half of patients with diabetes can expect to suffer from the condition. However, even as the chances of peripheral neuropathy are fifty-fifty or the flip of a coin, many do not seek treatment or attempt to manage their diabetes or consequential DPN. We must, however, question whether a lack of patients seeking treatment is due to patient inaction or lack of options.

Challenges in Treating DPN

The study continues its evaluation and states that, “. . . DPN is extremely difficult to treat, determining its risk factors and controlling it at an early stage is critical to preventing its serious consequences and the burden of social disease”. The issue for most physicians and their patients who suffer from DPN is that the lack of treatment for peripheral neuropathy makes “controlling” it, when it manifests in patients with diabetes, extremely difficult. What are doctors Liu and Xu referring to when they say we must determine the risk factors and control it before the serious consequences occur? 

Risk Factors for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy are perhaps key indicators to the severity of the condition. According to doctors Liu and Xu, risk factors for severe DPN include, “the duration of diabetes, age, HbA1c, DR, smoking, and BMI, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), [and] diastolic blood pressure . . .”. These risk factors for increased severity in DPN are what doctors Liu and Xu seek to educate their patients about. What doctors seek to maintain between themselves, and their patients is the ability to control these risk factors in order to mitigate the likelihood of increased, severe peripheral neuropathy. 

Managing Risk Factors

For these doctors, treatment of DPN includes the patient’s ability to maintain their diabetes, avoid smoking, and control their BMI (body mass index). However, while other risk factors such as age are of course uncontrollable, this does not make the unchangeable factor of increased age any less of a risk factor for increased DPN. Doctors like Liu and Xu would do well to educate their patients on their ability and responsibility to mitigate these risk factors through their own actions and explain that the choices they make for their health are indeed a major part of the treatment for DPN. 

The Impact of Disease Duration

Perhaps the most unfortunate risk factor of increased diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the presence and longevity of the condition itself. Doctors Liu and Xu later conclude in their study that, “DPN’s prevalence increases with the duration of the disease. The results of this study showed that the duration of disease had a statistically significant effect on the complications of peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is consistent with previous research results suggesting that early screening for primary disease is important to prevent and delay the occurrence of DPN”.

Innovative Treatment: Neuralgesia

Regardless of the prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients or their journey in treating their condition with the advice of their doctors, Relatyv offers a next generation pain management treatment for the persistent pain, tingling, burning, and numbness from the condition. Neuralgesia, a proprietary treatment program exclusive to Relatyv, is the most advanced, safe, and effective method of treating chronic peripheral neuropathy pain. 

Patient Experiences with Neuralgesia

Hundreds of patients have experienced relief from the pains and irritations of peripheral neuropathy through our proprietary Neuralgesia treatment protocols. Neuralgesia is a combination of high pulse electrical stimulation and specialized hydration therapy to produce an enduring pain relief effect that is unlike any other treatment program in the medical field. Neuralgesia is safe and effective for a wide range of chronic pain conditions and is especially effective in treating peripheral neuropathy.

Benefits of Neuralgesia Treatment

Many patients experience immediate relief and regain function in their extremities after only one session. Some patients report improved quality of life events after just one treatment as well, such as being able to sleep through the night, or have improved mobilization due to reduced pain. Neuralgesia is a twice a week treatment protocol that is one hour in length and is conducted in a social setting, so it is pleasant and enjoyable. Neuralgesia is not only used to treat the effects of peripheral neuropathy but other chronic pain conditions such as back pain, knee pain and joint pain, chronic migraines and headaches, fibromyalgia, and pain stemming accidents or surgery. 

Relatyv’s Mission

Relatyv is on a mission to bring its proprietary Neuralgesia treatment program to millions of patients across the nation suffering with chronic pain with the ultimate goal of relieving pain, restoring health, and magnifying quality of life without medications, surgeries, or invasive procedures. As the next generation pain management program, we want to be the first thought, first choice, and first step in the journey of chronic pain management.