In
case you are not aware of this, diabetic neuropathy has no known
cure. Treatment focuses on slowing the progression of the
disease, relieving the pain, and managing the complications.
As
you should know, management of your blood glucose readings is
important. Maintaining these in a narrow range is the best solution
for slowing the progression of neuropathy. I will give you the
American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) recommendations, which I
think are too lax.
They
claim this is intense management.
Time ADA
Rest
of the World
Blood
glucose level before meals 70 to 130 mg/dl 3.9 to 7.2 mmol/L
Blood
glucose level two hours after meals less than 180 mg/dl 10 mmol/L
after
meals
Hemoglobin
A1c less than 7 percent
People
that do not have diabetes generally maintain an A1c between 4 and 6
percent. To help slow nerve damage be sure to follow the
recommendations of your doctor for good foot care and keep your blood
pressure where it should be. Also, follow a healthy food plan, get
plenty of exercise, if needed, get to a healthy weight, and avoid
smoking and alcohol.
How
do you effectively get pain relief from diabetic neuropathy? There are
several medications that are used to relieve nerve pain, but they do
not work for everyone. They also have to be weighed against the side
effects and balanced to the benefits offered. This is the most
difficult part of finding what works for you most efficiently and may
require some trial and error.
Some
of the prescription medications that may be prescribed include the
following: anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, lidocaine
patch, and opioids. You may read about them here. There are a few
alternative therapies, such as capsaicin cream and acupuncture that
may help with pain relief. Doctors do use them with prescribed
medications, but some can be effective on their own.
Other
neuropathy complications can have specific treatments for restoring
functions. Urinary tract problems for both men and women have
specific treatments and can have a combination of therapies that can
be the most effective. Digestive problems can be treated and
gastroparesis, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea may be helped with
dietary changes and medications.
Low
blood pressure on standing can often be helped with lifestyle
measures. Medications can also be used alone in combination to treat
orthostatic hypertension. There are many alternative medications and
devices to help men with erectile dysfunction and women may get help
with vaginal lubricants.
There
are also lifestyle and home remedies that may help reduce the risk of
diabetic neuropathy. First, people with diabetes generally have high
blood pressure and with diabetes can greatly increase your risk of
complications. It is important to maintain your blood pressure in
the range that your doctor recommends. Read the advice of the Mayo
Clinic here.
Second,
regardless of whether you think your current food choices are
healthy, many people find out once they have diabetes that the foods
are not as healthy as thought. Make sure that you attempt to eat a
balanced diet. Third, if possible, achieve a healthy weight and stay
as active as your condition permits. Select an activity that you
enjoy and can continue. If possible, try to do at least 30 minutes
per day five days per week or 15 minutes seven days per week.
Fourth, if you smoke, realize that with diabetes you are more likely
to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Find ways to stop smoking as
this increases your chances of neuropathy.
Finally,
do all you are able to tightly manage your diabetes. This will help
prevent or delay complications for many years. Part 4 of 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment