Is there any treatment for diabetic neuropathy?

Diabetes is a severe and frustrating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It’s not just the inconvenience of constant blood sugar monitoring that gets us down; it’s also the potential side effects, such as diabetic neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy occurs when high levels of glucose damage nerves and leads to tingling, pain, or numbness in various parts of the body. If you’re reading this with clenched fists because you experience these symptoms daily- don’t worry! There are plenty of treatment options out there to help alleviate your discomfort.

Understanding Diabetic Neuropathy

Before we dive into our top recommendations, let’s take a moment to explore what causes diabetic neuropathy.

As mentioned before, chronic high blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage due to oxidative stress (the buildup of free radicals) from excess glucose. But did you know other factors can influence an individual’s risk?

  • Smoking: smoking reduces circulation and promotes vascular inflammation – both significant contributors to nerve damage.
  • Age: older adults who have lived more years with diabetes may have higher chances for developing neuropathies
  • Infection: Bacterial infections caused by cuts on skin or fungal/bacterial infections inside wounds also increase chance.

The severity depends on many variables such as age at diagnosis and duration/type/severity/management/control level/time/vulnerabilty history so in some cases minor overlooked functions like skin healing may worsen symptom progress over time too!

Now that we’ve covered why diabetic neuropathy happens let’s jump into ways we can treat it:

Medications

  1. Pain Relievers

Pain-relieving medications like aspirin or ibuprofen are helpful if pain is mild but not long-term solutions since they do not stop the root problem itself but rather only mask it temporarily

  1. Antidepressants

Specific antidepressant medications (such as tricyclic antidepressants) can ease symptoms of neuropathy, by inhibiting noradrenaline and serotonin from being reabsorbed in the nerves. This prevents them back uptaking into other areas but does NOT stimulate growth or healing.

  1. Topical creams/gels

Medicated patches that stick to skin are easier since they directly apply where needed & provide relief over several hours, while creams absorb more slowly through skin (and may also anesthetize area)

  1. Seizure Medications

These medications act on voltage-gated channels and reduce specific nerve signals from exacerbating pain in peripheral regions causing levels nearer normal ranges again leading to less strain/damage overall!

  1. Immunoglobulin Therapy

Antibodies utilized within immunosuppressive therapy decrease inflammation disorders contributing towards treatment against autoimmune causes such as Sjogren’s Syndrome.

  1. Opioids

Opioids’ power helps soothe discomfort at neuron receptors/inhibition of excessive signaling present, though it needs monitoring for addiction potential depending how long it must be relied upon which is important! Even so this only masks symptomatic problems like the endorphin rush from a headache relieving message for temporary rather than underlying health issues.

Non-Medication Treatment Options:

  1. Physical Therapy

Gentle exercises build strength + flexibility, helping slow progression whilst reducing possibility of locking muscles/tendons up with neuropathic pains making daily tasks harder (ie massage) commonly used too improve blood flow and loosen tense areas personally highly recommend acupuncture if find one near home.

8.TENS Unit Applications/Activities Balance

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduces current damaging factors towards injured/disordered sensory fibers thus conveying improved postural control or stability during challenging activity engagements so periodic implementations facilitates further balance adjustments respectively never hurts giving patients additional hope/control changes occur!

9.Diet Modification/Blood Sugar Control

Eating alongside medications can affect the severity of side effects. A diet rich in vitamins/nutrients as well as wholesome carbohydrates and healthy fats improves physical fitness levels thus reducing probability regular bout neuropathy regression chances greatly – this attention towards frequent blood sugar monitoring by low carbohydrate diet changes limiting intake to increase body’s ability manage typical steep spikes after meal consumption specifically.

Natural Treatments

  1. Alpha-lipoic acid

This fatty acid functions like an antioxidant that keeps your cells functioning at optimal levels whilst improving nerve health too responsible for many successes found treating diabetic polyneuropathy!

  1. Acupuncture

A practice that originated from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture needles promote circulation while energizing non-functioning areas increasing functionality combined with acupressure where hands/fingers stimulate points not reached rectifying inflammation progression aiding treatment in ways contrary conventional pharma logs which prioritize blocking pain receptors rather than healing root problem clinically effective especially when complemented aforesaid treatments long-term success stories common amongst devotion.

12.Vitamin Supplementation:

Adding certain supplements like vitamin B6 or Vitamin D could greatly improve symptoms since these play critical roles within neurotransmitter biosynthesis/absorption alongside myelin sheath regeneration for faster growth/removal concerning cellular debris/rebuilding damaged areas/widening/enhancing different systems/neurological networks concurrently beneficial.

13.Omega-3 Fatty Acid Sources

May exhibit anti-inflammatory properties contributing reduction inflammatory signs have been recommended consume whether through enhanced fresh wild fish intakes or supplementation derived sources including krill oil known decrease risk heart abnormalities further combat neuropathic obstacle achievements!

Finally yet another amazing option available in market today is multidisciplinary rehab center approach combining lifestyle modifications atop professional supervision & support guidance accommodating patient requirements tightly supervised utilizing licensed specialists (physical therapists, social workers etc), strength/proportional improvement shown striving toward goal fundamental guiding principle rigorous dedication long term results achieved together chronic relief envisioned after implementation comprehensive regime efficiently stabilize/slow regression.

Conclusion

Diabetic neuropathy may be a frustrating side effect of diabetes, but it shouldn’t stop us from living our best lives. While there isn’t one magic cure for diabetic neuropathy yet discovered (and such most likely does not exist), we hope that this guide provides some helpful advice to those seeking treatment and managing their condition much better. Remember always consult your doctor before implementing any new treatments or care strategies if uncertain outcome expected not putting unnecessary strain on yourself by way factors out of control seen within retrospective time frames.

Take care and love yourselves!

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