Just in case my mom ever develops any of those symptoms. The other type of diffuse neuropathy is known as autonomic neuropathy and is caused by damage to nerves that control the heart and other internal organs. Wow, I never knew that was caused by diabetic neuropathy. Doctor, tell me what else autonomic neuropathy can do. The nerve damage can make it difficult to swallow if the esophagus is affected and it can damage the large intestine which can lead to constipation or diarrhea.
Nerve damage can also cause a slow emptying of the stomach known as gastric stasis .
Autonomic neuropathy also may affect the cardiovascular system which may interfere with nerves that regulate blood pressure and heart rate. It may also affect a person's perception of pain from heart attacks. It can also slow a diabetic's response to an insulin reaction because of the body's slow response to low blood sugar or hypoglycemia . Lastly, autonomic neuropathy may affect the nerves that regulate sweating which can make it very difficult to regulate body temperature. Doctor, that sure sounds like a lot of problems that can happen if the nerves are damaged.