What causes diabetic neuropathies?

The causes are probaly different for different types of diabetic neuropathy.Researchers are studying how prolonged exposure to high blood glucose causes nerve damage. Nerve damage if likely due to a combination of factors:

• metabolic factors,such as high blood glucose,long duration of diabetes,abnormal blood fat levels,and possibly low levels of insulin
• neurovascular factors,that cause inflammation in nerves
• mechanicalinjury to nerves,such as carpal tunnel syndrome
• inherited traits that increase susceptibility to nerve disease
• lifestyle factors,such as smoking or alcohol use