A video report from the
American Diabetic Association...click on the 'refresh' button at the
top of your screen to replay the video
New study shows most people with
diabetes are unaware of nerve damage risks...One in two people with
diabetes has diabetic neuropathy
May 2005 -- Diabetic neuropathy is a common, serious
complication of diabetes. In fact, it is estimated that one out of
two people with diabetes has this condition. The American Diabetes
Association (ADA) recently commissioned a study to determine whether
people with diabetes are aware of diabetic neuropathy. The results
are both surprising and disturbing.
Symptoms of this nerve damage include sensations of
pain and/or numbness, tingling or "pins and needles" in the feet and
hands, and can be debilitating. The nerve damage can make a person
extremely sensitive to even the lightest touch. Simply wearing
socks or having a foot touch a bed sheet can cause pain. The pain
typically worsens at night, making it difficult to sleep. Many
people with this condition have difficulty walking, working or
socializing.
Yet only a small minority have been diagnosed with diabetic
neuropathy and an alarming number have never even heard of this
condition. This also means that people at risk do not know about
the things they can do to prevent or delay associated symptoms.
This is important for the 18.2 Americans living with diabetes.
Some of the ADA study's key findings include:
- Almost two-thirds of survey respondents who
experience symptoms of diabetic neuropathy (62 percent) believe that
their symptoms are associated with their diabetes. However, less
than half (42 percent) have been told by their doctor that diabetes
is the cause.
- Approximately one in seven people (15 percent) who
said they talked to their doctor about their symptoms and pain
reported that no cause was mentioned by their doctor.
- Only one in four (25 percent) survey respondents
who experience symptoms of diabetic neuropathy have been diagnosed
with the condition.
- The majority of respondents who experience symptoms
(56 percent) remain unaware of the term diabetic neuropathy.
ADA is launching a major campaign to raise awareness
of diabetic neuropathy. To learn more about diabetic neuropathy,
call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org/neuropathy.
If you are experiencing symptoms, ADA recommends talking to your
doctor.
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