Did you know that diabetic neuropathy is the most common diabetic complication? It implies nerve damage and can cause cramps, loss of sensation in certain areas, burning, weakness, muscle twitching, and more. While many of these symptoms can be overlooked at first, it is important that you seek professional help and learn about all the available options for treating diabetic neuropathy in Webster, Texas.
Common Symptoms
It is hard to make a condensed list of neuropathy symptoms, since it can affect nerves all over the body and therefore cause different sensations. They can be classified according to the type of affected nerves:
- Sensory nerves: numbness or tingling in your limbs, extreme sensitivity, burning, unexpected pain, etc.
- Motor nerves: muscle weakness, lack of coordination, or frequent falls.
- Autonomic nerves: heat intolerance, sweating issues (either too much sweating or absence of it), drops in blood pressure, bowel, bladder or digestive issues.
There are many more symptoms that will vary depending on the type of neuropathy that’s affecting you. If you suffer from diabetes, constant check-ups with your doctor can help you identify when any chronic sensation must be assessed by a specialist.
➡ Get to know more about the different types of neuropathy and its symptoms here.
Tips for Preventing Diabetic Neuropathy
Even with a diabetes diagnosis, there is still a lot you can do to prevent neuropathy and/or other complications. And if you already have nerve damage, these tips can help you manage and reduce your pain.
Constant Follow-up
The number one tip to prevent and manage any type of neuropathy is keeping track of your levels. If you suffer from diabetes, this means specifically controlling your blood sugar levels. When your glucose is high, your nerves and the blood vessels that support them get damaged.
On the other hand, if you already suffer from neuropathy, keeping these numbers at a normal level can help improve symptoms like general pain and burning. Make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions about your diabetes treatment to prevent complications like nerve damage.
Find Your Preferred Exercise
By maintaining an active lifestyle, you’ll enjoy an overall improvement in your health. Furthermore, exercise usually helps manage glucose and cholesterol levels, strengthens your body, reduces your risk of falls, boosts your energy, and more.
You can start with simple and low-difficulty exercises and add time and complexity once you feel more comfortable.
Stop Smoking
Are you a smoker? Consider quitting. You aren’t? Make sure to keep it that way. Besides the well-documented harmful effects, smoking can stimulate the production of free radicals which damage cells, make it harder to control glucose levels, cause inflammation in different parts of the body, and harm the lining of your blood vessels.
It can also lower the oxygen in your blood, affecting your blood vessels and nerves. These consequences can cause diabetic neuropathy or worsen it.
Consume Vitamin D and B12
Vitamin D and B12 deficiency can be linked to diabetic neuropathy. While the sun is a great source of Vitamin D, there are plenty of foods that can help you increase and maintain your desired levels. Try adding more egg yolks, mushrooms, orange juice, salmon (and overall any fatty fish) to your diet. For B12, add beef, sardines, animal livers and kidneys or clams.
Nowadays, you can also find fortified foods containing these two components, such as dairy products or cereals. Supplements can also help you keep up with your ideal daily intake.
Alternative Therapies
There are several alternative therapies in the market for pain, stress, and anxiety management. These can help not only decrease uncomfortable sensations, but also give you more peace of mind and help you cope with feelings of uncertainty or sadness.
Particularly for neuropathy, we recommend asking your doctor about acupuncture and aromatherapy.
Treatment for Diabetic Neuropathy in Webster, Texas
When you get to your diabetic neuropathy consultation at Space City Pain, your doctor will listen to your case, symptoms, and go over your medical history. Once we have determined which the affected nerves are, the scope and root of your issue, we will explain the available options for you.
At our clinic, we specialize in treating neuropathy with spinal cord stimulation, a process that interrupts pain signals sent to the brain. This is done through a battery-operated device implanted under the skin and uses electricity to weaken the nerves.
Our Approach at Space City Pain
We know how uncomfortable and incapacitating it can be to live with neuropathy of any kind. While prescription and OTC medications can help you deal with your symptoms, getting to the core of your problem is the key to a new, more enjoyable life. Our goal is to explore your afflictions and fully treat them.
Our board certified healthcare providers have made Space City Pain a pioneer in pain management in the community since 2004. Our friendly, bilingual, and highly specialized staff excels at providing pain relief to patients. If you are looking to get back to your old self and a pain-free life, book an appointment by calling 281-338-4443 or send us a message online today.
We don’t manage pain, we treat it.
