AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS (AVNR)

[Gd2Aussie3]

For those of you not familiar with Diabetic Neuropathic Pain and the significance of Avanir's latest PR:

Fact: Over 18 million Americans have diabetes. And up to half of them will have some form of nerve damage due to their diabetes.

Diabetic neuropathy, if not treated, and there is no cure, can lead to severe complications. This would be a blessing to diabetics.

Peripheral neuropathy:

This type of neuropathy damages nerves in the arms and legs. The feet and legs are likely to be affected before the hands and arms. Many people with diabetes have signs of neuropathy upon examination but have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include

numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature
a tingling, burning, or prickling sensation
sharp pains or cramps
extreme sensitivity to touch, even a light touch
loss of balance and coordination
These symptoms are often worse at night.

Peripheral neuropathy may also cause muscle weakness and loss of reflexes, especially at the ankle, leading to changes in gait (walking). Foot deformities, such as hammertoes and the collapse of the midfoot, may occur. Blisters and sores may appear on numb areas of the foot because pressure or injury goes unnoticed. If foot injuries are not treated promptly, the infection may spread to the bone, and the foot may then have to be amputated. Some experts estimate that half of all such amputations are preventable if minor problems are caught and treated in time.

G' day Mate,

Aussie