ask: DIABETIC NEUROPATHY
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Anonymous
November 16, 2011 - 11:34am
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I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETIC NEUROPATHY. I WAS TOLD IT IS MORE IN MY UPPER EXTREMETIES, NOT MY LOWER ONES. HOWEVER, I GET SEVERE PAINS IN MY LEGS, MOSTLY MY KNEES, AND MY ARMS AND HANDS ARE FINE. MY DOCTOR RECOMMENDED TAKING ALPHA-LIPOIC ACID. I AM ALSO GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY, WHICH HAS NOT HELPED THE PAIN IN MY LEGS AT ALL. THE ONLY MEDICATION THAT HELPS A LITTLE IS ADVIL. PLEASE, I NEED YOUR ADVICE ON THIS. v n 9 2i k
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Hi Anonymous
Thanks for your post and welcome!
Diabetic neuropathy can be quite a serious condition, as you know.
Here's more information for you on treatments:
Treatment options include:
Blood Glucose Management
It is important to regularly monitor blood glucose levels. You can bring them within normal range with meal planning, exercise, and/or medications.
Foot Care
If you have diabetic neuropathy, you will need to take special care of your feet, since the nerves in the feet are the ones most often affected by neuropathy. This care will involve regular visits to a foot doctor and careful cleaning, inspection, moisturizing, and grooming of your feet. In addition, always wearing well-fitting shoes or slippers and thick, soft, seamless socks can help protect your feet from injuries.
Other Treatments
Other treatments will depend on your symptoms. Medications can be used to relieve pain, burning, tingling, or numbness. Oftentimes, the medications used to treat these symptoms are the same types of medications used to treat seizures and depression .
Modifying your diet and/or taking erythromycin or another antibiotic can help with gastrointestinal problems. Taking care when sitting or standing, increasing salt intake, or taking medications can help manage dizziness and weakness. An antibiotic can be prescribed to treat a urinary tract infection . Medications can be used to treat erectile dysfunction, and vaginal lubricants are recommended to treat vaginal dryness.
You can read a lot more here: http://www.empowher.com/condition/diabetic-neuropathy
Anon, are you focusing more on your upper body for physical therapy, than your lower? Is so, you need to adjust that. Additionally, you need to let your doctor know that even if he/she says it's affecting your upper body more, that that's not the case with you at all.
You should also talk to your doctor about changing or adjusting medications in order to ease your pain.
I hope this helps and please stay in touch with us!
~Susan
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