Types Of Diabetic Neuropathy and It's Symptoms - The Family Doctor

On a broad level, Diabetic neuropathy is a form of nerve damage that may affect a person suffering from diabetes mellitus. Uncontrolled blood sugar ruptures nerve fibers throughout the body, but in most of the cases, diabetic neuropathy damages nerves in the legs and feet. A diabetic is at an increased risk of developing foot problems and needs to take special care.

People with diabetes can over time, develop one or the other form of nerve damage in the body. On the contrary, some diabetics Diabetic Neuropathy and Associated Risks 1 show no early symptoms. Few diabetics show symptoms like pain, tingling, or numbness, loss of feeling in the hands, arms, feet and legs. Nerve problems can occur in all the organ systems of the body including the digestive tract, heart and sex organs.

Types of diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is classified among peripheral, proximal, autonomic or focal. Each of the neuropathies affects a specific part of the body.

1. Focal neuropathy leads to sudden weakness of a nerve or a group of neurons, causing muscle weakness. Any nerve in the body can be affected by it.

2. Autonomic neuropathy can affect digestion, bowel, bladder function, sexual response and normal perspiration. It can also affect the nerves responsible for controlling blood pressure as well as nerves which help the lungs and eyes function normally. It can also cause hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which people no longer experience the warning symptoms of low blood glucose levels.

3. Proximal neuropathy may cause pain in the thighs, hips, or buttocks and the patient may often feel week on the legs.

4. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common type of diabetic neuropathy which causes pain, loss of feeling in the toes, feet, legs, hands and arms or both in some cases.

Sl no.   Type of Neuropathy                Symptoms
   1          Focal neuropathy                   Double vision,eye pain, paralysis on one side of the face, chest                                                                or belly pain
   2      Autonomic neuropathy               Bloating, heart burn, nausea, faster heart beat, dizziness,                                                                          vomiting, low blood pressure
   3         Proximal  neuropathy              Pain in thigh, buttocks, hips, weakness in the legs
   4         Peripheral neuropathy             Tingling, numbness, burning, pain
     

How are diabetic neuropathies treated?

The first step in treating diabetic neuropathies is to bring blood glucose levels within the normal limits in order to help negate the possibility of further nerve damage. Keeping a track of meal planning, physical activity, and administration of diabetes medicines or insulin will help control blood glucose levels.

Symptoms may get worse when blood glucose is first brought under control, but over time, maintaining lower blood glucose levels helps lessen symptoms. Effective blood glucose control can help prevent or delay the onset of further health issues or even slow, prevent, or even reverse nerve damage.

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Bypass Surgery - Get treated by the right doctor! Spread across the right word - The Family Doctor

Recently a person was admitted to a nursing home at Ahmedabad due to severe chest pain. He had an earlier attack  in 2014 and was under treatment. The doctors now suggested Angiography.

Upon undergoing Angiography at multi specialty Hospital, Doctors diagnosed multiple blockages for which Angioplasty was ruled out and instead,  suggested ‘Bypass Surgery’.

That evening, he was brought home as  doctor suggested his heart being very weak, bypass could be performed only after 10 – 15 days. 

  

Meanwhile, after discussing the matter with relatives and close friends, fresh  information came from a family friend. 

  

A new treatment known as-“Bio Chemical Angioplasty” has been introduced into the Indian medical theater. 

  

With this therapy, a patient who has to undergo by-pass need not do so.

Instead, the patient is given about 20 bottles of IV fluids in which certain medicament are injected. The medicine cleans the system and removes all blockages from the heart and the arteries. The number of bottles given may increase depending upon the age-factor and health of the patient. 

Cost per bottle Rs.2000/-

Currently, only a few doctors in India specialize in this field

One of them is DR. Bimal Chhajer MBBS MD Ex Consultant AIIMS

He has a list of patients who had to undergo by-pass from major hospitals; but, instead after undergoing the new treatment, they are absolutely fine and are leading a normal life.

For more info: www.thefamilydoctor.co.in

Detection & Prevention of Dengue & Malaria in Bangalore - The Family Doctor

Detection & Prevention of Dengue & Malaria

Even in this day and age of technology and medical advancements, Dengue and Malaria still remain one of the highest causative agents of death around the world. Despite their latent malicious nature, many people remain unaware of the far-reaching consequences of these diseases, resulting in such high numbers of deaths from malaria and dengue worldwide. Despite being so harmful, these diseases absolutely need a vector to spread through, namely mosquitoes, where they can mature.

Prevention of Dengue and Malaria

We can prevent diseases like Dengue and Malaria by keeping our surroundings mosquito free, as these diseases can only spread when we are stung by these pests. Follow these steps to keep them away

1. Screen your windows – Ensure that all entry points to the home, like windows, vents, etc have fine mesh screening on them. This way you can keep the mosquitoes out, without suffocating yourself.
2. Protective Clothing – When you’re going outside, and especially to a mosquito infested area, then opt for wearing full sleeves and jeans. Stick to lighter colours, as studies have shown that mosquitoes are attracted to darker colours.
3. Mosquito Repellent – There are all kinds of mosquito repellents that you can use to keep them away. Applying repellent creams on exposed parts of your skin when you go out, switching on the repellent device in your home, etc are definitely effective when it comes to repelling mosquitoes.
4. Reduce mosquito habitat – All kinds of stagnant water are breeding grounds for these mosquitoes. You should take care that there aren’t any open and stagnant puddles of water in your bathroom, garden, or anywhere near your house. Get regular spraying done in your house and its immediate outdoors, to ensure total elimination of all mosquitoes and their eggs.

Detection of Malaria

In countries like the US, where malaria is not an endemic disease, detection and diagnosis is much harder, because it is so unexpected. However, in tropical countries like India, malaria is more common and affects most of the population. The symptoms of malarial fever that we should watch out for are –

1. Muscular Pain and Headache
2. Recurring Fever, accompanied with alternate bouts of chills and sweats
3. Nausea and Vomitting
4. Weakness and Fatigue
5. Dry Cough

People suffering from these symptoms should be taken immediately for a blood test, to find out if they are infected with the malarial virus or not.

Detection of Dengue

Look out for the following symptoms if you suspect that you might be suffering from dengue fever

1. Sudden high temperature
2. Severe headaches, especially behind the eys
3. High muscle and joint pain
4. Nausea and Vomitting
5. Skin Rash

If you have most of these symptoms, then the next step is to consult a medical expert, who will most likely prescribe a blood test to detect the dengue virus.

For more info: www.thefamilydoctor.co.in