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Diabetes Q&A | Neuropathy | my father suffers from cold legs at nig
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06/12/09 02:57 PM

"my father suffers from cold legs at night or with a breeze. They stripped his varicose veins, any leggings to help with warm. He wakes up, cold legs"
Asked By: cher1309  
Category: Neuropathy

Background Info Hide
He has type 2 diabetes

Expert Answers (1)

06/23/09 02:47 PM

Dear Cher1309; Thanks for asking dLife, helping with dad and taking control. Temperature sensitivity is a chronic complication of diabetes, and falls under the category of neuropathy or nerve damage. There are 3 types of peripheral (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord), nerves; motor, sensory, and autonomic. Neuropathy can impact all of these nerves. The sensory nerves are the feel and touch. Sensory nerves are indicators of hot or cold. Sensory nerves sense smooth or rough, soft or hard. These nerves also allow you to feel pain. Damage to these nerves cause a loss of feeling. The literature suggest these sensations are referred to as distal symmetric poly-neuropathy. Meaning nerve damage to affects the lower parts of of the body and impacts both sides. Poly-meaning multiple nerves are involved. Signs include, coldness, numbness, tingling, burning, muscle weakness and several others. These signs of nerve damage to the feet, legs or hands tend to be worse at night. Relieve has been noted when one gets up and walks around a bit. Nerve damage can not be reversed but, prevent further damage or lessen the damage; Key components: keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible, <140mg/dl per AADE, if he smokes, smoking damages blood vessels, if he drinks, too much can cause nerve damage. Blood pressure <130/80-85(this also can damage/weaken blood vessels. Cholesterol <200mg/dl, LDL<100mg/dl. HDL>40 for men. These sensations are representative of the potential long-term complication of diabetes. Monitoring with his (P)personal (C)care (P)physician or Endocrinologist and further elaborate on monitoring needs. I would encourage the 'Executive MD Frisk" or a through head to toe evaluation. Diabetes is the leading cause for blindness(needed eye exam), foot/leg ulcers or 'insensate foot' (DPM-foot eval for sensitivity, any potential numbness/legs and lower. Regarding the coldness, avoid extremes. Regards; Sue for You!!
Answered By: Susan Throop
Accreditations: RD, CDE, MA
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