How Quickly Does Diabetic Neuropathy Progress?

Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes, affecting as many as half of the roughly 39 million Americans diagnosed with the disease. Diabetic neuropathy progresses over time, leaving many people wondering how quickly their symptoms will worsen — or if they’ll develop diabetic neuropathy at all.

Our team at Advanced Medical Care offers patient-centered therapies for nerve-related disorders, including diabetic neuropathy, using a multifaceted approach to help every patient find relief. In observance of National Diabetes Month, we’re dedicating this post to helping people with diabetes understand diabetic neuropathy and how it progresses.

Understanding diabetic neuropathy

Diabetes happens when your body doesn’t process blood sugar (glucose) as it’s supposed to, leading to elevated levels of glucose. Higher glucose levels can damage your peripheral nerves — those in your arms, hands, legs, and feet. 

When nerves are exposed to high glucose levels for a prolonged period, the excess sugars destroy nerve fibers and lead to problems with circulation and inflammation, factors that exacerbate nerve issues. Over time and without proper management, these changes can lead to permanent nerve damage.

People with diabetic neuropathy experience a wide range of symptoms depending on which nerves are affected. Symptoms can include:

• Pain
• Burning
• Pins-and-needles sensations or numbness
• Lack of sensation
• Mobility or coordination problems

These symptoms increase your risks of falls and other injuries, including diabetic ulcers, which are deep sores that take a long time to heal. Over time, these ulcers can lead to serious infections and even limb amputations.

In severe cases, diabetic neuropathy may affect the nerves that control bowel and bladder function or the autonomic nerves that regulate your heart rate and digestion.

Neuropathy progression and risk factors

Diabetic neuropathy typically develops slowly, beginning with milder symptoms before progressing to more serious issues and permanent nerve damage. In the early stages, symptoms may be so mild that they’re easily overlooked, ignored, or attributed to another cause, meaning treatment could be delayed.

While anyone with diabetes can develop diabetic neuropathy, there are factors that increase your risk and also cause the disease to progress more rapidly. 

How long you’ve had diabetes

One of the most important factors that determines your risk of developing neuropathy is how long you’ve had diabetes. In general, that risk increases the longer you’ve had diabetes. 

Data show that people who’ve had diabetes for a decade or more have a significantly increased risk of developing diabetic neuropathy — but it’s important to note that you can develop it much earlier. Once diagnosed, nerve damage tends to progress steadily over time.

How well you manage your diabetes

Blood sugar control also plays a significant role in the progression of diabetic neuropathy and the development of the disease. If you have diabetes, you need a treatment plan that helps you manage glucose effectively and consistently.

In addition to a healthy eating plan, daily physical activity, regular doctor’s visits, and insulin use as prescribed play critical roles in maintaining glucose levels within healthy limits. Your diabetes management plan will likely change over time, making regular check-ins with your physician especially crucial.

Other conditions

People with other undying health conditions are more prone to diabetic neuropathy and can experience faster progression of the condition. That includes people with obesity and high cholesterol. 

Lifestyle factors, like smoking and being sedentary, may hasten progression, too, in part by interfering with glucose control and impairing circulation necessary for nerve healing.

Managing diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a serious complication of diabetes, but fortunately, it can be managed with a personalized plan based on your needs and risk factors. To learn how we can help, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Advanced Medical Care in Queens and Brooklyn, New York.