How does a doctor know the difference between diabetic nerve pain and peripheral arterial disease?

Diabetic neuropathy: Diabetic neuropathy usually causes pain in the lower extremities at rest. Peripheral artery disease is usually cramping in the calves when walking. Ultimately your doctor can decide with good physical exam.

Different Systems: Both can cause lower extremity paib vut the arteries are evaluated by feeling pulses in the feet, using a doppler to compare blood pressure in the arms to the legs and by history of pain in feet and legs worse with walking. Nerve testing is done with a simple plastic fiber and a good history. Neuropathy can different kinds of pain but also numbness, treatments are very different for both problems.