For those who have been told that they have diabetes, they need to realize that there are several issues that go along with having diabetes.
One of these is the foot pain that many diabetics feel. What is this foot pain? Why does it happen? Can it be reversed? Are there remedies that can help deal with the everyday pain that you feel?
These are all vital questions that diabetics need to ask. But, first, they need to understand why this pain is happening first to truly understand how they need to deal with this and prevent this from ruling their lives.
Diabetes and Foot Pain
Why do so many diabetics have foot pain? When a person is experiencing blood, sugar spikes and drops that are known to be present when the person has diabetes, then they are damaging the nerves throughout the body.
For most people, the nerves that are affected are going to cause pain throughout the body. However, more people find that they have nerve damage that is termed neuropathy.
This condition is going to cause tingling, pain that can be either burning or stinging and even weakness in the foot. Most people do not report feeling this kind of pain anywhere else in the body.
In addition, those who have blood sugar issues may find that they have poor blood flow which can affect the feet and cause issues.
Did You Know…
Neuropathy hurts for most people. However, those who suffer from this who are diabetic often find that this can make it harder to feel heat or cold in certain areas of their bodies, such as their feet.
This means that you could find it hard to feel if you have a foot injury due to diabetes. For example, a person may get a blister and never feel it. This could result in infection and then, even more, issues for the person who suffers from diabetes.
The good news is that there are several remedies meant to help with foot pain associated with diabetes. There are both home remedies as well as remedies that are recommended by the doctor.
The Home Remedies to Consider
There are several home remedies that people have used throughout the years that are meant to help with the nerve damage that has happened.
Once the nerve damage is looked at, it means that the pain is often helped as well. There are several of these home remedies that may or may not work for the pain that you are experiencing.
However, for those who are suffering from this pain, they often find that any remedy is worth a try!
1- A Catnip Foot Bath
With this remedy, utilize catnip in a tub for your feet that utilizes warm water. This can be done several times a day and when combined with drinking plenty of water and exercise, it can help.
2- Acupuncture
Many people find that acupuncture can help with the pain that they are feeling. The person may find that even having this procedure in the back can help with the pain that they are feeling in their feet.
3- Exercise
Exercise is a great way to help deal with the pain. This can be difficult for many people as they are going to have such intense pain in their feet. However, this can help with inflammation reduction which could be one of the main reasons that you are feeling pain.
Other Remedies Recommended
There are other remedies that many doctors state to their patients.
These remedies include:
1- Prescription Medications
There are several medications that can be given by a doctor for help with this pain. However, these are often the last resort for many people who do not want to be taking, even more, medications associated with their diabetes.
The three main medications that are given include:
- Pregabalin and Gabapentin as these are given for nerve issues. They calm the nerves which can help with the pain that the person may be having.
- Antidepressants are often given as they can help decrease the pain transmission that people are having.
- Opioids are given to those who are in severe pain. However, they also risk the person having an addiction.
2- Topical Analgesics
There are tons of medications that can be rubbed onto the skin that is going to cause the dull pain, tingling or numbness. These can be utilized a few times per day in order to help relieve the pain.
3- TENS
This is a new approach that utilizes electrode patches that are attached to the skin. These can allow the nerves to become fatigued, which is going to make the nerves too tired to process the pain that the person is feeling.
A Few Things to Avoid
There are a few things that a person may think of doing since they are in pain, however, this could cause more damage in the long run.
Specifically, this refers to using hot and cold packs to help with the pain in the feet. This is something that you should never do! Why?
Because the pain that you are feeling in your feet is due to the nerve issues. If you were to put hot and cold packs onto the feet, you could cause more damage to the nerves and feet.
It is not uncommon for a diabetic patient to have numbness in the feet, which if the feet are exposed to intense cold or heat can cause skin damages and even more nerve damage.
Those who are dealing with diabetes need to realize that there is more to this illness other than your blood sugar levels. This can affect numerous aspects of your body and make life a bit harder to deal with.
However, if you stay on top of these issues and do your best to stop the nerve damage from happening, you are going to find that your quality of life can be much better. The key is to work with your healthcare provider and be open and honest about what is happening.