What is peripheral neuropathy?

I've heard diabetics can get this, but I don't know what it is. I have type 2 diabetes, and I don't want my health to go down too much. Do you get this neuropathy even if your sugar stays in good control?

peripheral neuropathy is afflication of peripheral nerves (both motor and sensory)
It has many causes , diabetes and alcoholism being the commoner ones.
the chances of you getting neuropathy are probably less if your sugar is well controlled, but ask your endocrinologist.
pins and needles is the commonest symptom of neuropathy.
being a diabetic you should be more concerned about foot care and make sure you dont injure your foot

Essentially, it's pain (often in the extremeties) related to nerve degeneration/damage to the peripheral nervous system.

Peripheral Neuropathy is a disease, inhereited, in which the nerve endings in the affected areas die. Blood sugar control has nothing to do with getting it. Sometimes, there is a rapid rate---other times, the pregression is slow. There is no determining factor. The patient notices the progress as the pain worsens and more of the exsisting area is included. There can always be new areas also. The most effective treatment, which doctors say CAN BE stemmed from Diabetes 2 ( my mother has had the symptoms since 1991 and was diagnosed in 2005), is found through evaluation by a Neurologist / Pain Management doctor. If you don't have it, please don't worry. Remember, I said this disease was inhereited. If you don't have it, regardless how long you've had Diabetes 2, you MAY NOT get it. Time will tell, by symptoms such as: unexplained numbness, tingling, extreme cold, unexplained burning, etc., whether you are a recepient. According to my mother, NO ONE wants THIS.

About 50-60% of people with diabetes eventually develop neuropathy, where the the nerves in the extremities become damaged. At first the damage causes tingling, numbness, burning, or pain, and eventually there is a total loss of sensory nerves. The feet are usually the first part of the body to go.

Here's a link with good info:

I have Peripheral Neuropathy in both legs and both arms. It was caused by my diabetes. I have no feelings in those extremities as far as pricking with pins. However they do feel like I have burning in them some times. Even if you control your blood/sugar readings, you can get this. I have to take Gabapentin twice a day for the Peripheral Neuropathy. It helps.

Here is a good site about periphrial neuropathy. I suffer with this from an autoimmune disease.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/perip...