According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 21 million Americans have diabetes, and at least six out of 10 of them have some kind of nerve damage. “If you have diabetes, chances are that you already have some form of nerve pain or nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy,” explained neurologist Barry Spahija, M.D. “Sometimes, this nerve damage starts before a person even knows he or she has diabetes. Those with prediabetes, which is a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels are abnormally high but not high enough to qualify as diabetes, may start to experience signs of neuropathy long before they are diagnosed with the disease.” Diabetic Nerve Pain: It's Not Just in Your Feet Types of Neuropathy “People with diabetes often have tingling, pain, or numbness in their feet and hands, which are common signs of nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy,” Dr. Spahija added.