Diabetes can damage nerves throughout your body. Poor blood sugar control, the length of time you have had Diabetes, age and having other health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol increase your risk for developing painful nerve damage in your legs and feet.

This nerve damage is called Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN), or commonly referred to as Diabetic Nerve Pain. DPN is the most common, chronic complication of diabetes, affecting 60-70% of the people with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.^1,2 DPN can be extremely painful with numbness, or burning, shooting, pins and needles pain in the legs and feet. Some people with DPN even describe it as an electric shock-like pain.

Diabetic nerve damage develops gradually. Left untreated, diabetic nerve damage can lead to ulcers on the feet and serious infections. Those who live with moderate to severe diabetic nerve pain are very aware of the impact on their lives as they deal with daily pain and sleep interruptions.

At this time, there is no cure for DPN and medications can only provide pain relief. Not all of the medications are effective for all people, so there is a need for better treatment options.

Today, researchers are evaluating gene therapies and other study medications to see if they can reduce nerve pain or modify the cause. Those who volunteer for these studies play a major role in advancing medical research about possible future treatments for Diabetic Nerve Pain.

Take the next step to see if you qualify for local research studies for people with Diabetic Nerve Pain. But don’t delay — space is limited!