Frontiers: dizziness and numbness in limbs may signal diabetes

Researchers from Semmelweis University (Hungary) have discovered that years before people are diagnosed with diabetes, they may show symptoms of neuropathy - damage to one or more nerves in the peripheral nervous system. Neuropathy is accompanied by fatigue, dizziness, numbness in the limbs, and broken bones. The results of the study are published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.

The study compared the health data of 44 people at high risk of developing diabetes and 28 volunteers with no predisposition to any disease. Participants were asked to tell whether they had previously noticed changes in their health. The volunteers were also measured for heart rate and then given a series of pain response tests.

The scientists found that people at increased risk of developing diabetes were 5.9 times more likely to have what is known as parasympathetic neuropathy compared to healthy people. Parasympathetic neuropathy is damage to one or more nerves in the peripheral nervous system that regulate the relaxation of organs and systems (for example, sending signals to reduce heart rate).

It was also found that a high risk of developing diabetes correlated with cardiac autonomic neuropathy - a pathology in which the regulation of cardiac activity and vascular tone is disturbed due to damage (dysfunction) of nerve fibres of the autonomic nervous system.

It was also found that a high risk of developing diabetes correlated with cardiac autonomic neuropathy - a pathology in which the regulation of cardiac activity and vascular tone is impaired due to damage (dysfunction) of nerve fibres of the autonomic nervous system.

Scientists noted that signs of nerve damage, which can manifest themselves years before the clinical diagnosis of diabetes, can be a drop in blood pressure, dizziness, weakness, numbness, tingling and burning in the extremities, as well as bone pain and cramps.

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