Also called: Diabetic neuropathy
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Diabetic Nerve Problems
If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Over time, this can damage the covering on your nerves or the blood vessels that bring oxygen to your nerves. Damaged nerves may stop sending messages, or may send messages slowly or at the wrong times.
This damage is called diabetic neuropathy. Over half of people with diabetes get it. Symptoms may include:
- Numbness in your hands, legs, or feet
- Shooting pains, burning, or tingling
- Nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea
- Problems with sexual function
- Urinary problems
- Dizziness when you change positions quickly
Your doctor will diagnose diabetic neuropathy with a physical exam and nerve tests. Controlling your blood sugar can help prevent nerve problems, or keep them from getting worse. Treatment may include pain relief and other medicines.
It sits within Brain and Nerves, Endocrine System and Diabetes Mellitus.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Diabetic Nerve Problems
1 study isregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research already completed
- The Efficacy and Safety Profile of Capsaicin 8% Patch Versus 5% Lidocaine Patch in Males With Diabetic NeuropathyCorporacion Parc Tauli
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Nerve Damage (Diabetic Neuropathies)National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Peripheral NeuropathyNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Symptoms
- Symptoms of Peripheral NeuropathyFoundation for Peripheral Neuropathy
Diagnosis and Tests
- Autonomic TestingNational Library of Medicine
Treatments and Therapies
- Therapies for Treating Diabetic Nerve PainAmerican Academy of Neurology
Related Issues
- Your Feet and DiabetesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Diabetic NeuropathiesNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Diabetic Neuropathies. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Diabetic Nerve Problems, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.