All Entries Tagged With: "diabetic neuropathy"
Why should I take my shoes and socks off every time I go to see my doctor?
If you do have neuropathy and have lost the ability to feel it when you walk on a pebble or piece of glass or a nail, then you are at great danger of injuring your feet. If you have neuropathy, it is important to examine your own feet every day and to ask for your doctor to do a more detailed check of your feet when you come for an appointment.
If I lose the sensation in my feet, does that mean I will end up needing an amputation?
Very, very few people with diabetes need to get their toes or feet or legs amputated nowadays. Although having neuropathy puts your feet at risk of injury, there is a lot that you can do to protect them. Also, if a problem is detected early, there are excellent treatments that can heal those injuries.
Do these drugs heal the nerves or just dull the pain?
The drugs mentioned above are really just working to dull the pain. They make it more bearable while you wait for your nerves to heal up and for the pain to go away.
What are the best drugs to treat neuropathy?
One of the most effective drugs to treat painful neuropathy is an oldfashioned kind of drug that can also treat depression. These are the tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and desipramine.
Are there creams to treat neuropathy?
Yes. The best creams are those that contain capsaicin. Capsaicin is the active ingredient in hot peppers like jalapenos. If you eat too much of a hot pepper, it can burn your tongue and then make it go numb.
Why does neuropathy pain get worse when you improve your blood glucose?
This can be very frustrating. You are doing everything you can to help yourself. You are eating healthy, drinking no alcohol, taking vitamins, and keeping your blood glucose close to normal.
What can I do to lower my risk of getting diabetic neuropathy?
Eat a healthy diet that contains a variety of food and vitamins. Taking a multivitamin that contains 100 percent of the recommended daily amount of the B vitamins is sensible.
Why is the pain in my feet worse at nighttime?
It really seems unfair. You have been suffering the discomfort in your feet all day long and are finally home, done with the work and hassles of the day and looking forward to a nice rest. But as you lie quietly in bed, you find that the burning pain and discomfort in your feet is getting worse rather than better.
What causes the burning pain in my feet?
The sensation of burning heat and prickly, stabbing pain in your feet can be really unpleasant and exhausting. This can come on quite suddenly and last for weeks or months unless it is treated. It often starts after your blood glucose levels have been very high for several days or more.
How would I know if I had neuropathy?
Because your nerves do so many things all throughout your body, you may get a wide variety of symptoms. If the nerves supplying your pain and heat sensors get damaged, they may start “misfiring” on their own so that you feel as if your feet are burning or on fire.