Part 4 of the "Understanding and Preventing Complications" series

Many of the complications that people with diabetes have to watch out for are related to neuropathy, or nerve damage. Nerve damage caused by high blood sugar can affect just about any part of your body, from your feet to your eyes. What is more, nerve damage can make it difficult to detect injuries or illness, so you may not even be able to recognize the signs of low blood sugar anymore.

Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you have a better than 50 percent chance of experiencing some sort of nerve damage at some time in your life. The following are some of the areas on your body that can be affected by nerve damage:

Feet and hands—you may feel a stinging sensation or feel like you are walking on pins and needles, or you may feel nothing at all. This loss of feeling can leave you at risk for other injuries you may not even notice. Taller people are at greater risk because they have longer nerves in their feet.

Eyes—the tiny nerves that control how your pupils dilate can be damaged, leading to poor vision and discomfort.

Sex organs—men can experience impotence, and women may find a lack of lubrication or experience pain during sexual activity.

Gastrointestinal tract—you may experience discomfort after eating because your system is unable to process food properly.

Heart—loss of feeling has contributed to what healthcare professionals refer to as a silent heart attack.

Fortunately, many of these problems can be avoided with medication and other treatments, such as electronic nerve stimulation, which uses small electrical impulses to block pain and stimulate your body’s natural pain management responses.

Still, it is up to you to control your blood sugar levels. Having elevated blood sugar levels can contribute to nerve damage. So keeping your blood sugar properly managed is your best defense. Plus, if nerve damage has already begun, tight control can stop and even reverse the damage.

As you regain blood sugar control, your pain may temporarily increase because your nerves may swell up, but your healthcare team will be able to help you get through it.

Even if you already have some nerve damage, you can benefit from controlling your blood sugar. Make the commitment today to protect yourself from nerve damage.