Diabetic Neuropathy: Types (Nursing)

00:01 So we've got these four types of diabetic neuropathy.

00:03 We've got him into different categories, but let's talk about them as for specific types.

00:09 Peripheral neuropathy is weakness, numbness, and pain from nerve damage usually in the hands and feet.

00:16 Now, think back to your favorite patient.

00:17 Remember mine is my dad.

00:19 You're thinking about someone in your life that's really important.

00:22 What are the kind of things you would want to teach them about if they have peripheral neuropathy.

00:29 Now the next step, I'm going to talk about autonomic neuropathy.

00:32 We introduce that but autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves that control your internal organs.

00:39 Yeah, it's as serious as it sounds.

00:41 Autonomic neuropathy can lead to problems with heart rate, blood pressure, the digestive system, their bladder, their sex organs, their sweat glands, their eyes, and the ability to really sense what's going on when the blood sugar is low.

00:56 So beyond being uncomfortable.

00:58 We're talking about some life impacting events there.

01:02 So we looked at peripheral neuropathy.

01:05 Now, we're talking about autonomic neuropathy.

01:08 Well, that's the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems.

01:12 We don't have control over those.

01:14 That's why they're called autonomic.

01:17 So we start damaging this complicated system.

01:20 That is why we have such a significant impact.

01:23 Now, the next one we're looking at damage to a single nerve.

01:27 That's why we call it focal neuropathy that's damage to a single nerve and it's most often in the hand but it can also be in the head, the torso, or the leg.

01:37 Finally we've got proximal neuropathy.

01:40 That's damage to nerves in the hip, buttock or thigh which makes sitting standing just about anything really uncomfortable.

01:49 Now usually affects only one side and it is the rarest form but it isn't any fun either as you can imagine.