The exact cause of diabetic neuropathy is not clearly understood. 7 Steps to Health and the Diabetes Lie Review Many theories exist, but the general school of thought is that high blood sugar causes chemical changes in the nerves and damages blood vessels carrying oxygen and nutrients to the nerves, impairing nerve function. A not so new theory, which is gaining in popularity is the idea that diabetics are susceptible to nerve compression. The susceptibility is thought to be due to the increased volume of the nerve from the abnormal glucose metabolism within the nerve. In layman's terms this is as if the nerve is swelling and the surrounding tissues and ligaments are pressing on the nerves, resulting in a loss of function.

Currently, there are no treatments to reverse diabetic neuropathy and there are no treatments that will eliminate the numbness. There are, however, many treatments to decrease the symptoms associated with PDN.There was hope of reversing or significantly improving neuropathy with medications like aldose reductase inhibitors, myoinositol, protein kinase C inhibitors, C-peptide, vasodilators and nerve growth factors. Unfortunately, the research did not show consistent or effective results.

The mainstay of medical treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy is to manage the symptoms with medications. For those individuals with painful diabetic neuropathy, prescription medications may be needed to manage the pain. Classic medications used for treatment include amitriptyline, http://7stepstohealthdiabetesliereview.com/ desipramine and nortriptyline. These have been used to help decrease pain and to help with sleep. Fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertralene and citalopram tend to be better tolerated, but are also tend to be less effective at relieving pain.