Diabetes can cause long-term problems throughout a patient’s body especially if a patient doesn’t control their blood sugar effectively. High blood sugar can cause diabetic neuropathy, which damages the nerves that send signals from your hands and feet. Common symptoms of diabetic neuropathy are numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes, hands and feet. Burning, sharp, or aching pain are symptoms as well. For the most part, pain may be mild at first, but it can worsen with time and spread up a patient’s arms or legs. Up to 50 percent of people with diabetes may experience nerve pain. Nerve damage can affect your ability to sleep, decrease your quality of life, and can also cause depression. There are several diabetic pain treatment options available, but the process of finding the right treatment plan may take time.
Diabetic Pain Treatment
Unfortunately, when dealing with diabetic nerve pain, damaged nerves can’t be replaced. However, there are several options that a patient can do to prevent further damage and relieve his/her pain.
First, a patient has to control their blood sugar so the damage doesn’t worsen. Talk to a provider about setting a blood sugar goal, and learn to monitor it. Use various diets, exercises, and medications to decrease blood sugar levels to a healthier range. Remember to monitor other health risks that can worsen his/her diabetes, such as weight and smoking. If a patient is unfamiliar with the effective ways to lose weight or quit smoking, ask a provider about some healthy options.
Medications
A provider may suggest over-the-counter pain relievers, which are available without a prescription but can lead to side effects. Only use a low dose for a short time to control symptoms. If over-the-counter medications are not helpful, there are other stronger and longer-term pain relief options. Ask a provider to help build your diabetic pain treatment plan that best suits you. Contact us today to schedule your appointment with Alabama Pain Physicians!
