Millions of people around the United States suffer from chronic pain. Nearly 60% say it impacts their quality of life. Many of these people feel that they have no control over the pain that they experience, 51% say they feel this way. One kind of pain that a lot of people have to deal with is diabetic nerve pain. Many of these people work on relieving diabetes to get relief from the pain that is associated with it. Here are some things you can do to alleviate this pain:
- Keep your blood sugar in check. One of the best things you can do for diabetic nerve pain relief. In terms of relieving diabetes, maintaining blood sugar is one of the main goals. Doing this will help prevent all kinds of nerve damage. Research has shown that high blood pressure can lead to diabetic neuropathy. This is the complication of diabetes that sends more people to the hospital than any other. This is also the number one cause of amputations that were not caused by an accident. The best ways to keep blood sugar levels where they need to be are through regular testings of the blood sugar, exercise, a healthy and well balanced diet and working with your physician to get the appropriate therapies and medications.
- Keep that diet healthy. This is important enough a point to mention twice. One of the most important things you can do when you are working towards relieving diabetes or dealing with diabetic nerve pain is to eat as healthy a diet as possible. Upping the amount of whole and unprocessed foods and lowering the amount of added sugars and refined carbs. It is important to pay attention to beverages because added sugars can lurk there. People often find it easier to maintain the right weight by cooking at home and drinking more water. Staying away from fried food is another way to keep your diet healthy.
- Add physical therapy and exercise to your routine. One of the best ways to stay healthy is to stay active. There are few chronic health problems that cannot be made at least a little better by adding in exercise. Research has shown that working out on a regular basis can be very effective at reducing the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy. In fact it is one of the best ways to achieve peripheral neuropathy relief. Experts recommend people gradually increase the lengths of their workouts until they get to doing it for between 30 and 60 minutes every day. Low impact exercise such as walking, cycling or swimming can go a long way to helping a body deal better with insulin. Doing these things also improves circulation. Many people find physical therapy to be very helpful as it can help people with their mobility and muscle strength. A good physical therapist can help develop a routine that limits the pain sometimes associated with working out.
- Quit smoking. Just about every medical problem can be helped by quitting smoking and relieving diabetes is no different. In fact, any tobacco use can have a negative impact on your nerves if you have diabetes. Smoking when you have diabetes also raises your chances for suffering a stroke or heart attack.
- Deal with your stress. That may seem like it is easier said than done but it really does make a difference for a host of medical problems. Stress makes relieving diabetes all the more difficult because it increases inflammation throughout the body. Doing yoga, meditating and healing prayer are all things that people have done to lower their stress level and improve diabetic nerve pain. If you add more exercise into your life, you may find that your stress level goes down as many workouts cause the brain to release endorphins and that makes you happier.
- Try acupuncture. This is one peripheral neuropathy treatment that works for a lot of people who are looking to alleviate the pain. It also can lower a person’s stress level. Many people have had a lot of success with this kind of treatment and have not reported many side effects.
Diabetic nerve pain can have a very negative impact on a person’s quality of life, these tips can really help.
