Diabetic Nerve Pain and Treatment

rnDiabetic nerve pain and treatment is something people with diabetes have to deal with at some point - Especially if they do not control their blood glucose levels. Many diabetics experience nerve damage, which is also called neuropathy (noo-rop-uh-thee). Nerve damage is generally caused by high blood glucose levels that damage the coating of nerves over time. The damage occurs throughout the body, but can be most devastating on the feet because: • The blood has to travel the greatest distance to reach the nerves of the feet to supply them with nutrients. • Diabetics tend to develop foot injuries without even noticing them because they can't feel their feet. This gives the injury more time to become infected. Nerve damage normally occurs when the outer sheathing or the myelin (protective covering) of nerve cells degenerate. This is similar to an electrical wire that is covered with insulation, and the insulation is beginning to crumble. Without insulation the unprotected wire will start short-circuiting. This short-circuiting will cause all the unpleasant and painful sensations that people who are suffering from nerve pain go through. Diabetics will suffer from this nerve pain and it is a major complication of the disease. It is the higher than normal sugar levels that creates the damage. However, if you control your blood glucose levels through diabetes medications or blood sugar meters, incorporating healthy diabetic diet menu, and daily diabetes exercises, chances are very good that you can prevent or delay the onset of complications that are associated with nerve damage. Signs of Diabetic Nerve Damage: • Pain, burning or tingling in the feet and hands Bathroom Scale with Built-In Foot Mirrorrn• Abnormal sweatingrn• Light-headedness when you standrn• Difficulty swallowing foodrn• Bowel problems and difficulty urinatingrn• Bladder and kidney infectionsrn• Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction Treatment: The treatment for nerve damage often involves preventing the damage from ever occurring. Once the nerves are damaged, it can be difficult to recover their full functionality. Here are some tips to help you prevent nerve damage: • Monitor and control your blood glucose levels through blood sugar monitors • Exercise by wearing diabetes shoes for at least 30 minutes each dayrn• Monitor changes with your feet, such as loss of feeling or tingling Contact your physician immediately if you think that you may have nerve damage. Catching the damage early may help to prevent complications and spreading. Remember, you can prevent nerve damage, but you cannot cure it.