Focal Diabetic Neuropathy

Focal diabetic neuropathy, which is also called mononeuropathy, impacts a singular nerve, typically in the feet, thighs or wrists. It can also have an effect on specific nerves in the chest, the back and those controlling the muscles of the eyes.
Focal neuropathy is significantly less prevalent when compared to autonomic or peripheral neuropathy and mainly afflicts the older diabetic. This form of neuropathy comes on suddenly and usually improves all by itself over the course of a few months without causing any long-term damage.
Some focal diabetic neuropathy symptoms can include:
Double Vision
This happens when nerve damage causes your eyes to become misaligned and sends your brain two different images. In order to compensate for this disparity, your brain eventually suppresses the image coming from one of your eyes. This leads to a false sense of security as your double vision appears to go away, however the root cause of the problem still remains.
Eye Pain
You will feel pain behind one of your eyes or have difficulty even moving them. This takes place because of damage to one of the cranial nerves.
Facial Paralysis
This usually happens on one side of the face as the nerve that controls the facial muscles is damaged. The common name for this condition is “Bell’s Palsy.” The lack of muscle control causes the face to droop and could make it difficult to close the eye on the side that’s affected.
Painful Feet, Legs and Lower Back
Pain in the lower back can sometimes cause paralysis. Once again this is damage to a specific nerve.
Abdominal or Chest Pain
These pain symptoms can occasionally be mistaken for appendicitis or a heart attack. That is why comprehensive testing is necessary to find out whether diabetic neuropathy is the culprit.
Although these symptoms do not definitely mean you have neurological damage, they could be indications of other serious medical problems. Regardless, an early diagnosis along with proper treatment gives you the best chance in preventing further complications and in minimizing the symptoms.
Focal neuropathy can also happen if a single nerve is compressed. For a diabetic, the most common form of nerve compression is called “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.”
Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may include:
  • Numbness or a tingling sensation in your thumb as well as the nearest 2 or 3 fingers of either or both hands
  • Muscle damage or weakness in either hand making it difficult to carry or grip something
  • Pain in your wrists which can extend out to your elbow
The best way to treat any diabetic neuropathy is by controlling blood glucose levels. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy so that you continue to use the body parts which are affected. Sometimes, your doctor may recommend splints, braces or other appliances to help you with your mobility.
There are medicines available to help control the painful symptoms of focal diabetic neuropathy, such as pregabalin, pehnytoin, gabapentin and carbamazepine. Antidepressants like desipramine, nortriptyline, imipramineor, amitriptyline and duloxetine may also be prescribed in order to reduce the painful symptoms.
Since all medications come with side effects, some may not be recommended for older diabetics or anyone with heart disease. Since some non-prescription medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen might not even be effective in easing nerve pain, those medications should be avoided because they can also have some bad side effects.
Focal diabetic neuropathy can be very painful as well as crippling. A treatment program starts with getting blood glucose levels within normal range. Proper blood sugar management can help to delay or even avoid any further complications.

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