Physical therapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A narrative review category

25^th World Nursing and Nurse Practitioner Conference

October 22-23, 2018 Osaka, Japan

Nizar Abdul Majeedkutty

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia

Keynote: Adv Practice Nurs

Abstract :

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the most common complication of diabetes mellitus both in developed and developing countries. It is found in about 10% of diabetic patients at diagnosis and in the majority of patients 25 years later on. Patients with pre-diabetes may also develop neuropathies that are similar to diabetic neuropathies. Loss of feeling in the lower limbs is a high risk for limb amputation. Extremely long axons originating in the small neuronal body are vulnerable on the most distal side as a result of mal-nutritional axonal support or environmental insults. Sparse vascular supply with impaired auto-regulation is likely to cause hypoxic damage in the nerve. Such dual influences exerted by long-term hyperglycemia are critical for peripheral nerve damage, resulting in distal-predominant nerve fiber degeneration. Despite efforts to make an early diagnosis and to halt the progression of diabetic neuropathy, currently there is no effective treatment available at a global level, except for tight control of blood glucose. Physical therapy can improve the overall quality of life of diabetes mellitus patients with peripheral neuropathy and alleviate them from the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. This article reviews the different treatment strategies used in physical therapy to manage diabetic peripheral neuropathy and presents evidence and conditions for its applications.

Biography :

Nizar Abdul Majeedkutty is an astute Physical Therapist and sagacious rehab science researcher currently working as Head of Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. His research interest spans a variety of topics in physical activity, multisensory reweighting, sedentary behavior and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. He has presented his research findings at international conferences, published articles in prolific journals and was awarded with scholarships and research grants. He serves as an Associate Editor and Reviewer for high end academic journals from United States. He has also served as the Head of Department of Physical therapy at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. He has obtained his Post graduate degree in Physical Therapy from Mahatma Gandhi University, India.

E-mail: nizarkualalumpur@gmail.com