Treatment of narrowed arteries can reduce the risk of amputation and decrease the need for surgical procedures to restore circulation. For those with diabetes, this is particularly important. Diabetes remains the largest single cause of non-traumatic leg amputation. If the blood pressure is low in the legs, as shown by a lower index, generalized hardening of the arteries is probably the cause. Reversal of this situation is possible with diet and medication.
Treatment can also control or reverse the tendency for a stroke or a heart attack.
Back to Top Peripheral Neuropathy Testing Twenty percent of people newly diagnosed with diabetes have some evidence of peripheral neuropathy, or changes in sensory nerves in the body. Almost all cases can be reversed if caught early. Those who have peripheral neuropathy usually complain of painful feet. It is also possible to have a more problematic form of neuropathy that presents without pain. You don't know what you can't feel.