COVID-19 Update: We offer virtual telehealth and in-clinic appointments. Safety Procedures
  • Conditions
    Conditions We TreatChronic pain has many causes, and we have broad expertise in treating a wide range of conditions. Before beginning any treatment, however, we focus closely on identifying the precise nature of your pain. Pinpoint diagnosis provides the foundation to deliver maximum relief with minimum risk.View All
    • Back and Neck Pain
      • Back Pain Overview
      • Neck Pain Overview
      • Disc Degeneration
      • Disc Herniation
      • Sciatica (Lumbar Radiculopathy)
      • Cervical and Thoracic Radiculopathy
      • Spinal Stenosis
      • Facet Joint Syndrome
      • Spondylolisthesis
      • Compression Fractures
    • Arm and Leg Pain
      • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS/RSD)
      • Peripheral Neuropathy
      • Diabetic Neuropathy
      • Joint Pain: Shoulder, Hip, Knee
      • Phantom Limb Pain
      • Piriformis Syndrome
      • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    • General Body Pain
      • Chronic Abdominal Pain
      • Pelvic Pain
      • Postherpetic Neuralgia
      • Fibromyalgia
    • Head and Face Pain
      • Migraine Headache
      • Cervicogenic Headache (Whiplash Syndrome)
      • Trigeminal Neuralgia
    • Cancer Pain
    • Sports Injury
    • Work Related Injury
  • Treatments
    Treatment SolutionsNura combines pinpoint diagnosis with multi-point treatment to zero in on the source of chronic pain and attack it from every angle. Designed to provide real and lasting relief, precise pain management focuses your treatments exactly where they’re needed – dialing down your pain while dialing up your long-term health and well-being.View All
    • Interventional Procedures
      • Therapeutic
        • Epidural Steroid Injections
        • Epidural Lysis of Adhesions
        • Epidural Blood Patch
        • Sympathetic Nerve Blocks
        • Peripheral Nerve Blocks
        • Trigeminal Ganglion Block
        • Radiofrequency Ablation
        • Intradiscal Heat Therapies: IDET and Biacuplasty
        • Joint Injections
        • Trigger Point Injection
        • Minuteman Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion
    • Interventional Procedures
      • Diagnostic
        • Medial Branch Block
        • Selective Nerve Root Block
        • Discography
        • Electromyography (EMG)
      • Spinal Fracture Repair
        • Vertebroplasty
        • Kyphoplasty
    • Neuromodulation
      • Neurostimulation
        • Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)
        • Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation (DRG)
      • Targeted Drug Delivery
        • Spinal Pain Pump
        • Home Infusion Service
    • Medication Management
    • Physical Therapy
    • Behavioral Health
    • Occupational Health
    • Chronic Pain Program
  • About Nura
    • Why Nura
    • Our Team
    • News
    • Patient Stories
    • Reviews
    • Events
    • Careers at Nura
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Update
    • FAQ
    • Send Medical Records
    • Insurance & Billing
    • Prepare for an Appointment
    • Videos
  • Research
  • Locations
  • Call Today! 763.537.6000
  • I Want To
    • Contact Us
    • Pay My Bill
    • Request an Appointment
    • Send Medical Records
    • Refer a Patient
    • Prepare for an Appointment
    • Submit Feedback
Nura Clinics
Nura Clinics
  • Request Appointment
  • Patient Portal
  • Overview
  • Refer a Patient
  • 763.537.6000
  • I Want To
    • Contact Us
    • Patient Portal
    • Pay My Bill
    • Request an Appointment
    • Send Medical Records
    • Refer a Patient
    • Prepare for an Appointment
    • Submit Feedback
  • Conditions
    • Back and Neck Pain
    • Arm and Leg Pain
    • Head and Face Pain
    • General Body Pain
    • Cancer Pain
    • Sports Injury
    • Work Related Injury
  • Treatments
    • Interventional Procedures
    • Neuromodulation
    • Medication Management
    • Physical Therapy
    • Behavioral Health
    • Occupational Health
    • Chronic Care Management
    • Chronic Pain Program
  • Medical Professionals
  • About Nura
    • Why Nura
    • Our Team
    • News
    • Patient Stories
    • Reviews
    • Events
    • Careers at Nura
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Update
    • FAQ
    • Send Medical Records
    • Insurance & Billing
    • Prepare for an Appointment
    • Videos
  • Research
  • Locations
  • Contact

Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathic pain results from damaged nerves and can feel like sharp pain, burning, tingling or numbness in the arms/hands and legs/feet.

Diabetic Neuropathy Causes

Diabetic neuropathic pain is caused when there is a prolonged exposure to high blood sugar/glucose levels, causing nerve damage in the body. Other factors that may contribute to diabetic neuropathy include inflammation, genetic factors, smoking and alcohol abuse. There are different types of diabetic neuropathy causing different types of pain symptoms. You may have more than one type of diabetic neuropathy causing more than one type of pain symptom as well. Most of the diabetic neuropathic pain symptoms develop gradually and may not be noticeable until significant nerve injury is present.

Diabetic Neuropathy Types and Symptoms

Peripheral Neuropathy

This is the most common form of diabetic neuropathy. The feet and legs are usually the first to get affected, followed by the hands and arms. The peripheral neuropathy pain symptoms include:

  • Numbness
  • Tingling and burning sensations that may be worse at night
  • Decreased ability to feel pain in the feet causing unnoticed injury that can progress to infections and ulcers, causing deformity and bone and joint pain
  • Pain with movement
  • Allodynia or pain to light touch
  • Weakness

Mononeuropathy, also called Focal Neuropathy

This is typically seen more commonly in older adults. Symptoms from this condition can occur suddenly but tend to improve and resolve over a period of weeks to months.

A specific nerve gets injured, often in the head, torso or leg, but there usually is no associated long-term injury. The mononeuropathy pain symptoms include:

  • Double vision, difficulty focusing, pain in one eye
  • Paralysis on one side of the face (Bell’s palsy)
  • Pain in specific area of the leg, thigh or foot
  • Chest or abdominal pain that can sometimes be mistaken for a heart attack or appendicitis

Autonomic Neuropathy

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for controlling your heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, bladder, eyes and sex organs. Poorly controlled diabetes can affect the nerves to these areas causing a variety of pain symptoms depending on which systems are involved:

  • Inability to adjust blood pressure leading to “blackouts”, lightheadedness upon standing from sitting position (orthostatic hypotension)
  • Bloating due to slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis) leading to nausea and vomiting
  • Heartburn
  • Diarrhea, constipation or a combination of the two
  • Increased or decreased sweating due to decreased ability to regulate body temperature
  • Bladder problems such as frequent urination, incontinence and infections
  • Erectile dysfunction in men and vaginal dryness in women
  • Vision problems

Diabetic Proximal Neuropathy

Diabetic proximal neuropathy also goes by many other names including radiculoplexus neuropathy, diabetic amyotrophy and femoral neuropathy. This condition is usually seen in patients with type 2 diabetes and older adults as well.

Pain is usually one sided, although both sides can be affected, and in the proximal limb which are the thighs, hips or buttock region. The diabetic proximal neuropathy pain symptoms include the following:

  • Pain in the hip, thigh or buttock region
  • Weakness in the thigh, hip and buttock areas usually seen as difficulty standing from sitting position
  • Atrophy of the thigh and hip muscles
  • Weight loss

Diabetic Neuropathy Risk Factors

People with diabetes can develop nerve problems at any time, but the risk for damaged nerves rises with age and with poor control of blood sugar levels with diabetes. Other diabetic neuropathy risk factors include kidney disease and smoking.

Diabetic Neuropathy Testing

Testing for diabetic neuropathy is done based on pain symptoms, medical history and a physical exam by a neuropathic pain specialist. Things like muscle strength and tone, sensitivity to touch, deep tendon reflexes, temperature and vibration are likely to be checked for by a diabetic neuropathic pain specialist.

Diabetic Neuropathy Management Treatment Options

Early diagnosis by a pain specialist and pain management treatments for diabetic neuropathy offer the best chance for controlling diabetic neuropathic pain symptoms and preventing more severe problems, although there is no known cure for the condition. Some things you can do to help slow nerve damage include keeping blood pressure and glucose levels under control, maintaining a healthy diet and weight, getting plenty of physical activity, avoiding alcohol and smoking cessation. Regular follow up with your primary care physician to optimize your health conditions is highly recommended to prevent and maintain diabetes-related symptoms.

There are a number of diabetic neuropathic pain management treatment options performed by a pain specialist that may help reduce or eliminate the diabetic neuropathic pain symptoms you may experience:

  • Physical Therapy
  • Biofeedback
  • Acupuncture
  • Neurostimulation Therapy
  • Massage Therapy
  • Chiropractic Care
  • TENS Unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)

At Nura, we value the importance of an interdisciplinary approach. For those diabetic neuropathic pain management treatments not offered by Nura, we are able to refer you to another specialist.

Back to Arm and Leg Pain

View Treatments We Offer

Do you have questions?
We can help!

Call 763-537-6000 to schedule an appointment
or to speak with a pain management expert.
Call Now

Take the first step toward
a better life

Start today by requesting an appointment
through our secured online form.
Schedule Appointment Online

I WANT TO...

  • Contact Us
  • Pay My Bill
  • Request an Appointment
  • Send Medical Records
  • Refer a Patient
  • Prepare for an Appointment
  • Submit Feedback

Edina Clinic

7400 France Avenue South
Suite 100
Edina, MN 55435
Directions

Coon Rapids Clinic

2104 Northdale Boulevard NW
Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55433
Directions

Business Office

appointments, scheduling, preauthorization & billing

2104 Northdale Boulevard NW
Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55433
Directions
Careers

Business Fax: 763.537.6666

Medical Records Fax:
763.767.7149

Clinics & Business Office Hours

8:00am - 5:00pm Monday - Thursday
8:00am - 4:30pm Friday
Closed Saturday - Sunday

Call Clinics or Business Office

763.537.6000
HIPAA Seal of Compliance Certificate
The contents of the Nura Website, such as text, graphics, videos, and other material contained on the Website ("Content") are provided to you for general information only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard, avoid or delay getting professional medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional because of something you have seen on this Website. Further, the sharing of this information for educational purposes does not constitute an endorsement of the product, method or author.
  • © 2023 Nura Clinics All Rights Reserved
  • Site Credits
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Good Faith Estimates
  • No Surprises Billing Act