A study commissioned by the American Diabetes Association (ADA)
found that a majority of patients with diabetes have never heard
of diabetic neuropathynerve damage that causes pain, numbness,
or tingling in the feet and hands. The researchers interviewed
8119 individuals regarding the condition, whether they had any
symptoms, and whether they had ever been diagnosed. The
researchers discovered that more than 7 of 10 patients with
diabetes reported that they had experienced symptoms of the
condition in the past year. Yet, 56% of the participants having
symptoms had never heard of diabetic neuropathy. The results of
the study also found that nearly 1 in 7 patients with symptoms
of neuropathy, who had mentioned it to their physicians,
reported that their physicians had not mentioned a potential
cause. Furthermore, only 1 in 4 individuals with symptoms had
been diagnosed by their physician. The ADA estimates that 50% of
individuals with diabetes will develop neuropathy.