The answer to the question “Do I have diabetic neuropathy?” is not always straight-forward. There are many other conditions that can cause similar symptoms and signs. A medical specialist can usually help answer this question for you based on your symptoms, examination signs and test results. But you too play a critical role in passing along the relevant information to your doctor to help in making the right diagnosis, and in understanding your condition. Also, you are your own best advocate and it makes sense for you to be a well-informed patient about your condition. Say for example your house needed some repairs. Would you spend your hard-earned money on repair work on your house without first learning as much as you can about the problem and the options to solve the problem. Similarly, it makes sense for patients with neuropathy (or any medical condition) to do the research so that they can ask the appropriate questions and stay actively informed informed about their medical condition. This can definitely translate into an accurate diagnosis and better treatment of the problem. WE ARE HERE TO HELP. This website can help in several ways.
1. Understand ‘What is diabetic neuropathy’ by reading the article on this topic. Then you will be able to better participate in the discussion about neuropathy with your doctor, and will also understand many of the medical terms used in your medical reports, books, websites, discussions, etc.
2. Learn about the different types of diabetic neuropathy and the symptoms, then compare with your own situation. You can find this information in the article ‘What are the different types of diabetic neuropathy’ and ‘Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy’.
3. If you would like to understand what your doctor looks for when he/she examines you, then you can read about the different signs that can appear when someone has neuropathy and what each sign means. You can even look to see if you have these signs before you see the doctor.
4. Do you need additional testing? What types of tests are performed when diabetic neuropathy is suspected and when should they be performed? Do all patients suspected to have diabetic neuropathy have all those tests performed? Answers to these questions can be found in the several articles about the various tests in the ‘Tests and Diagnosis’ section.
5. Finally, I am sure you will be interested in knowing the different treatment options. But do all types of neuropathy need treatment? Can the symptoms of neuropathy just get better on their own? For the more troublesome and painful types of neuropathy, is medication the only options or are there non-medication options as well? Before discussing treatment with your doctor, we strongly recommend that you make yourself aware of the ENTIRE RANGE of treatments available, so that you can ask your doctor why they are recommending certain treatments and not others,and what will be the entire plan of treatment for you.
Conclusion
Knowledgeable patients who have made the effort to learn more about their condition, tend make better and more informed decisions about their care. Although there is no replacement for a face-to-face consultation, examination and sometimes additional testing under the supervision of a medical specialist, it is also important to be informed and aware of the various symptoms, signs, diagnostic tests and then the treatment options.