Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?

If your blood sugar levels are uncontrolled and have diabetes, it can cause nerves damage throughout the body. The nerve disorder which caused by diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy.

What are Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms?

Early symptoms of diabetic neuropathy may include:

- Burning and pain feeling in the feet or legs.

- Numbness in the feet or legs.

Diabetic neuropathy can further lead to dizziness, problems with digestion (such as diarrhea or constipation) or bladder infection, double vision, drooping eyelids and weakened thigh muscles.

What is the Best Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment?

Sadly, I have to say there is no cure for neuropathy. But the above symptoms can be reduced by controlling the diabetes. Controlling diabetes means controlling the blood sugar levels within the normal range. And controlling blood sugar levels means eat the right food and having exercise. Besides reducing the symptoms, it may also preventing diabetic neuropathy from getting worse.

Diabetic neuropathy treatment depends on the symptoms. Generally, the treatment is focusing on how to maintain the blood glucose within the normal levels by following these steps;

- taking insulin or oral diabetes medicine as prescribed.

- checking blood sugar levels regularly.

- following diabetic diet guidelines.

- exercising regularly

- seeing the doctor regularly.

- Properly care for your feet because without doing this, untreated food sore can further lead to a serious infection or even amputation.

- avoid smoking and alcohol.

However, additional diabetic neuropathy treatment may depend on the specific type of diabetic neuropathy symptom.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Treatments may include:

- Medicines (to relieve pain)

- Complementary Therapies (like acupuncture)

- Physical therapy (like exercise, stretching and massage). Just be aware if you're told to use heat or ice because neuropathy can be worse if being exposed to sudden temperature changes.

- TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation).

Autonomic Neuropathy

Since this type of neuropathy affects nerves which regulates internal functions (like digestion, urination or sweating), it can be rather hard to manage. However, these following treatments can be responded very well;

- If you have constipation symptom; eating small but frequent meals which are high fiber and low fat.

- If you have diarrhea symptom; you may need medicines that slower the digestion rate and waste travel rate through the intestines. You may also require antibiotics.

- If you have abnormal sweating symptom, like sweating severely after eating certain foods, you may require anticholinergic medicines. But make sure you've been discussed with the doctor before using this medicine because it can sometimes give worse result than abnormal sweating. In this case, Botox (Botulinum toxin) may also help. For any treatment you've decided, just be sure it was under supervised of authorized expert.

- If you have urinary problems, it may be treated by antibiotics for urinary tract infections and medicines that improve bladder control.

- If you have blood pressure problems, besides taking medications treatment, it can also be treated by wearing support stockings (also known as compression stockings).

What are the Diabetic Neuropathy Treatments when the Condition Get Worse?

Severe gastroparesis, bladder infections or foot problems are some signs that the diabetic neuropathy progresses. In this case, besides maintaining the blood glucose levels within normal range, you may also need additional diabetic neuropathy treatment.

Severe gastroparesis may need medicines that empty the stomach more quickly or inserting feeding tube into the stomach.

Bladder infection may need surgery to improve bladder function.

Surgery may also needed for foot problems in order to correct deformed joints on your feet (when foot problems become so worse that you'll have permanent disfigurement in one or both of your feet).

The most nightmarish part of diabetic neuropathy is probably severe foot problems which lead to foot ulcers and ended with amputation. So, make sure you've been very clear with the doctor to find the best treatments or combination of diabetic neuropathy treatments that help you the most.