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2012年9月15日 星期六

Acupuncture Can Help Relieve Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Pain


If you're a diabetic and have progressed to peripheral neuropathy complications, chances are you've been prescribed medications by your endocrinologist or doctor. Anti-seizure drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, opioids, anti-depressants and topical anesthetics are usually given as medications for diabetic nerve pain. They may have offered you some relief. But you can't endure the side effects of some of your medications.

You'd like to try alternative medicine and someone suggested acupuncture. Does acupuncture really work?

Research on Acupuncture on Diabetic Peripheral Neuritis

As early as 1997, Abuaisha et al of the Department of Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary conducted a study entitled, "Acupuncture for the treatment of chronic peripheral diabetic neuropathy: a long-term study." It studied the effectiveness of acupuncture in alleviating the painful symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

46 diabetic patients suffering from painful longstanding peripheral neuropathy were involved in this study. The patients were given 6 courses of classical acupuncture over a period of 10 weeks using traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture points. 44 of the patients completed the treatment with 34 patients or 77 percent exhibiting significant improvement in their symptoms. They were followed up for 18-52 weeks and 67 percent were able to reduce their medications. However, eight or 24 percent required further acupuncture treatment. 34 or 77 percent noted significant improvement in their symptoms while only 7 patients or 21 percent had a clearing of their symptoms. One patient didn't finish the full course. There had been no reported side effects. The study strongly suggests that acupuncture is a safe and effective long term management of painful diabetic neuropathy.

The US National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine have endorsed this therapy as alternative and complementary.

What Acupuncture is

If you haven't any idea what it is, it has ancient beginnings in China and is part of traditional Chinese medicine. Very thin but solid sterile needles are inserted in identified areas in the skin called qi, meridians or acupuncture points. It is believed that stimulating these points corrects imbalances to "improve health and well-being." But scientific research finds no histological or physiological correlates for qi, meridians or acupuncture points.

Researchers are not also clear on how acupuncture works but are unanimous that it can relieve pain in a variety of conditions; and reduces nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemo.

A well trained acupuncturist does the procedure. In the US, the practice of acupuncture utilizes medical traditions originating from China, Korea, Japan and other countries.

The Acupuncture Procedure for Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment

The treatment is done on both sides of the body. Acupuncture points are inserted with needles on the hands or feet or both depending upon where the pain is felt. The patient usually lies prone and needles are inserted at specific points in the lumbar or cervical areas of the spine. If neuropathy pain occurs at the hands, needles are inserted at the cervical area and at the lumbar area if pain is felt at the lower extremities. Both lumbar and cervical areas are inserted with needles if both upper and lower extremities are involved. The needle points are actually where the spinal nerves exit from the spinal column and travel to innervate the hands and feet. Points at the feet and hands are also inserted with needles. The combination of techniques reduces sensitivity of nerves and restores them to their normal functions. This actually, relieves the nerve pain of diabetes.

Very thin needles, around 5-20, are used and don't cause much discomfort when inserted. The acupuncturist may move the needles gently or twirl it and you may feel mild aching sensation. Heat or mild electrical impulses can be applied through the needles.

The needles are removal after 10-20 minutes. There should be no discomfort. Your acupuncturist should discard the needles after removal.

Majority says they feel energized after a session. But you may need a series of treatments to feel improvement of your symptoms.

Bottom Line

If you are considering acupuncture to relieve pain of your peripheral neuropathy inform your doctor or endocrinologist. Most important of all, you should continue your insulin or anti-diabetic medications including medications for your neuropathy.

Acupuncture can help in conjunction with nutritional supplements such as alpha lipoic acid, biotin, evening primrose oil, cinnamon and Vitamin B complex. You should continue with your diabetic diet, exercise and blood glucose monitoring. A good control of your blood glucose levels will prevent further deterioration of your diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Be sure to seek a licensed acupuncture practitioner. In the US, qualified acupuncturists are members of the American Association of Oriental Medicine. You can find one in your area.




A B Stephens is a chemical engineer by profession. Her passion to help diabetics stems from the fact that members of her family and her husband's family are diabetics. They launched http://www.typefreediabetes.com in 2007 - a one-stop shop for people who have diabetes - a lifestyle store complete with whatever a diabetic would need to live his/her life to the fullest! Numerous studies have proven that nutritional supplements such as alpha lipoic acid, biotin, evening primrose oil, acetyl-L-carnitine, bromelain, quercetin, black currant seed oil and other supplements can help in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Diabetic-Neuropathy-Supplements-s/11556.htm





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2012年9月12日 星期三

Causes and Results of Peripheral Neuropathy


Nobody likes pain. In fact, we do our best to avoid it. No one likes physical pain. We try to avoid emotional pain in choosing the right relationships. We generally seek a life without pain...

...then you get your wish and realize that you miss it.

That's exactly how millions feel who are suffering from peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that commonly affects people with diabetes. It can also be caused by a result of chemotherapy, alcoholism, autoimmune disorders, and a host of other conditions that we may not even know about.

So why does it happen? That answer's not so simple. Neuropathy as a complication of diabetes is caused by microvascular disease. That's the small vessels that branch of from the main pipeline arteries. The vessels stop carrying blood, which hold oxygen and nutrients, to the nerves and causes them to fail. So how do we correct this? Not easily. If that's the reason, sometimes the individual needs a procedure to restore circulation. Other times, when the main circulation is in good shape, there may be other modalities. One therapy is called MicroVas, which is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the microvascular circulation to reverse diabetic neuropathy. It is effective based on the cause of the neuropathy. Studies have shown it to be very effective for diabetic patients, but less so for those that have neuropathy due to other reasons.

For conditions other than diabetes, the cause of neuropathy is not clear. If we don't know the cause, then it's really hard to find a solution. Sometimes the cause is a compression of the nerve, sometimes a nutritional deficiency, and sometimes for a reason that cannot be determined.

So big deal, why is this so important. Think about how you react when you touch a hot stove. Your first impulse is to pull back your hand. This is because your brain reacts to the pain even before you can feel it. And if you had no pain? You'd get a pretty nasty burn.

Now think about your feet. We wedge them into shoes every day. What if your shoes didn't fit? The average person would take them off and figure out why. If you had no pain, you'd keep walking. What if you had a pebble in your shoe. Again, the pain would cause you to take care of it. If you were walking barefoot and stepped on a piece of glass? You see where this is going...

People with diabetes will not feel these minor injuries and can develop sores, blisters, and skin ulcers. These ulcers can become infected easily, spread to the bone, and cause major problems. More than 60% of amputations not caused by some sort of trauma is due to complications from diabetes. This is why all people with diabetes should be familiar with a podiatrist. I routinely tell my diabetic patients that they should check their feet daily before they go to sleep and call me if they see anything that wasn't there the night before. I tell them that I'd rather they call me and it be nothing than let it go and let it develop into a problem.

The research documents that a comprehensive foot care program can reduce the rate of amputations in people with diabetes by 45%-85%. With those numbers, you should run (carefully) to your podiatrist's office. It's the first step in keeping you walking for years to come.




Dr. Andrew Schneider of Houston, TX is a podiatrist and surgeon specializing in the foot and ankle. He is the medical director of Tanglewood Foot Specialists and treats all injuries and conditions of the foot and ankle. For more information and many informative videos, visit http://www.tanglewoodfootspecialists.com and his blog at http://tanglewoodfootspecialists.blogspot.com.





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2012年9月11日 星期二

Potential Benefits of Weight-Bearing Exercise For People With Diabetes and Peripheral Neuropathy


The traditional clinical belief has been that weight-bearing activity such as walking should be discouraged among people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (diabetes and insensate feet due to nerve damage). The presumption was that weight-bearing activities increased the risk of foot ulcers among patients with diabetes and insensate feet. This advice forced people with diabetic neuropathy into a big dilemma: you need to exercise to stay healthy, but you also need to reduce repetitive loading on your feet.

The recognition of the overall importance of exercise for people with diabetes continues to grow. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) now makes these general recommendations for people with Type 2 diabetes:


Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity. The ADA defines moderate intensity as 50-70% of maximum heart rate.
Perform resistance training (weight lifting for example) 3 times a week unless a patient's other medical conditions counsel against it.

For people with diabetes and severe peripheral neuropathy, the ADA says "it may be best to encourage non-weigh-bearing activities such as swimming, bicycling, or arm exercises."

What about this advice from the ADA? Recent studies raise questions about whether the ADA's advice to people with insensate feet might be too conservative. Two descriptive studies indicate that patients with diabetes and insensate feet who engage in daily activity decrease their risk of foot ulceration compared to those who are less active. LeMaster et al. 2003; Armstrong et al. 2004. A more recent, randomized controlled trial found that promoting weight-bearing activity did not lead to increases in foot ulcers among people with diabetic neuropathy. LeMaster et al. 2008. A free copy of this article is available via the federal government website pubmed.gov if you search "lemaster reiber mehr."

Summary: Exercise and particularly weight-bearing activities such as walking are highly beneficial to the overall health of people with diabetes. Recent studies suggest weight-bearing activity may have an overall beneficial even for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. If you have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, discuss this is a topic with your podiatrist and other health care providers. Provide them with the LeMaster article mentioned above.




John K. Lampe is the President of Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc. Tamarack is a privately held, research and development company. Tamarack specializes in ankle-foot biomechanics and friction management technology. Tamarack's ShearBan® is a patented product that reduces the damaging effects of friction on the human body. It is used by professional clinicians to prevent and treat diabetic foot ulcers, excessive callusing, blisters, and other hotspots. [http://www.tamarackhti.com/]





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2012年8月11日 星期六

Do You Have Peripheral Neuropathy?


If you have:

Diabetes
Cancer (and you're undergoing chemotherapy)
Shingles
HIV/AIDS
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Exposure to toxins

You have a pretty good idea of what to expect from your disease. Your doctor has probably given you a list of symptoms that you're likely to experience, if you're not experiencing them already.

But if in addition to the symptoms you were expecting, you're having

Swelling in your feet, legs or hands
Muscle cramps in your legs
Changes in your skin and nails
Numbness in your feet and hands
Inability of feel heat or cold
Sleepless nights due to pain
Muscle weakness
Painful burning and itching in your hands or feet
Feeling like you're wearing gloves or socks when you're not

You could be developing another symptom that your doctor might not have told you about.

And it could cause permanent nerve damage.

You could have peripheral nerve damage in your feet and/or hands.

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

PN is a condition that develops when your peripheral nerves are damaged. That damage can occur because of your diabetes, as a result of toxic chemotherapy, nerves being damaged by shingles, a lack of oxygen to the nerves caused by some other underlying condition or even as a result of HIV.

If you have the symptoms listed above, the nerves in your hands and feet have probably been damaged by your illness.

Granted, when you're dealing with the debilitating effects of diabetes or cancer or HIV/AIDS, peripheral neuropathy may sound like nothing to really worry about.

But you know how miserable it is to have constant nerve pain...to be unable to feel the simplest sensation in your hands and feet...or on the opposite end of the spectrum, to go to bed at night and be so hypersensitive that even the sheets touching your hands and feet is torture.

How Serious is Hand/Foot Peripheral Neuropathy?

Nerve damage can be very serious. How many diabetic patients have you seen with amputations below the knee?

Those amputations are usually caused by damage to the circulatory and nervous system caused by their diabetes.

Diabetics are not the only people susceptible to peripheral neuropathy in their feet and hands. If you are taking chemotherapy, if you have HIV/AIDS, if you've had shingles, or even if you've had some other infectious disease, you're a candidate.

The damage caused can be so gradual that you don't think much about it.

One day you have a small cut on one of your feet. The nerves in your feet are damaged so you don't really feel it and you don't know it's there if you don't pay really close attention to the condition of your feet.

That small wound becomes infected. Your immune system and circulatory system are compromised so the tissue doesn't heal properly. Before you know it, you have a serious infection and you lose your foot.

You're a little less likely to have that problem with your hands simply because you see them all the time and you're much more likely to notice if something is wrong. That means you'll seek treatment faster.

What To Do If You Think You're Developing Peripheral Nerve Damage

The first thing you need to do is make sure your treating physician is aware of the problems you're having with your feet and hands. Then you can take steps to help yourself.

First, find a local medical professional specializing in treating patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Make an appointment as soon as possible.

To get ready for your appointment -

Make note of what your underlying conditions are
Make a list of all medications you take
Write down when you first noticed your symptoms
Write down all of your symptoms
Write down what your typical daily diet looks like




Get started with treatment as quickly as possible to avoid additional nerve damage and possibly even reverse the damage that's already there. Your clinician will work with you to treat your symptoms, adjust your diet if you're not eating like you should in light of your underlying condition and give you information and help on coping with the effects of peripheral neuropathy.

It's critical that you seek treatment immediately.

For more information on treating and recovering from peripheral neuropathy, get our Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine "Beating Neuropathy" at http://neuropathydr.com Doctors, physical therapists and patients will find more information as well as post comments and questions at this site as well.





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Making the Most of Your Time With Your Doctor to Treat Your Peripheral Neuropathy


If you've been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, chances are that diagnosis was made by your family doctor.

Chances are even better that he's sent you to a specialist to confirm that diagnosis and begin immediate treatment (if you're lucky).

If you're reading this, you've probably been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy as a result of:


Diabetes
Shingles
Chemotherapy
HIV/AIDS or some other immune deficiency disease
Exposure to toxins
Alcohol or drug abuse

If your treating physician hasn't referred you to a specialist, one of the best things you can do is request a referral to a specialist in treating peripheral neuropathy, like your local neuropathy clinician.

Once that referral is made, you need to take advantage of every minute you have with your specialist. Peripheral neuropathy is not a condition forgiving of delayed treatment. The longer you wait, the more severe and long-lasting (potentially permanent) your nerve damage can be.

So What Should You Do?

First, realize that your appointment with your specialist is much more than just time blocked on both your schedules. It's a chance to take your life back. If you have peripheral neuropathy, your body is at war and this is your chance to win.

You want to be prepared so you can take advantage of every minute and get started with an effective treatment program ASAP.

To do that, you need to


Write your symptoms down, even if you don't think they have anything to do with your peripheral neuropathy. Making a list will ensure that you don't forget anything.
Make a list of every medication you take. That includes vitamins, herbal supplements and anything over the counter. Those liquid glucosamine drinks you may be taking to alleviate joint pain count as a medication.
Line up someone to go with you, either a family member or a friend. You'll want someone there to write down what the doctor tells you. There's no way you'll remember it all.
Write down any questions you want to ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question so ask about anything you're not sure about. Here are a few samples:

1.) What causes peripheral neuropathy?

2.) Does everyone have the same symptoms or are mine different?

3.) What else could be causing my symptoms?

4.) Are there any tests I need?

5.) What are my chances of a full recovery?

6.) Will the treatment you're prescribing have any side effects?

7.) What are my treatment options?

8.) Do you have any reading material I can take home to learn more about peripheral neuropathy?

These are just suggestions so don't limit yourself to these questions. Again, write down anything you're not sure about.

Be Ready to Help Your Doctor

Depending on your symptoms, your underlying medical conditions and any other issues that are specific to you and your peripheral neuropathy, your doctor will ask you quite a few questions.

To make the most efficient use of your time with him, do what you can to help him. Think about the answers to these basic questions before your appointment:


Do you have any underlying medical conditions (like the ones we listed above?)
When did you first notice your symptoms?
How often do you experience your symptoms? Do you have problems at specific times of the day or after any specific activity?
On a scale of 1 to 10, (1 being mild and 10 being severe), how would you rate your symptoms?
Have you noticed anything that makes your symptoms better or worse?

Just thinking about these questions ahead of time and actually putting together answers will make your time with your clinician or other specialist more efficient and productive. You'll both be much happier with the result if you know what to expect.

And don't be afraid to ask your doctor for suggestions to help you manage your peripheral neuropathy symptoms. Your neuropathy clinician specializes in treating the whole patient, including recommending lifestyle changes, preparing diet plans, whatever it takes to make your treatment plan effective for you.

We hope this gives you a head start on taking charge of your peripheral neuropathy and making sure that you and your medical professional get the most out of your time together.




Dr. John Hayes, Jr. is an Evvy Award Nominee and author of "Living and Practicing by Design" and "Beating Neuropathy-Taking Misery to Miracles in Just 5 Weeks!".

As a chiropractic consultant, his work on peripheral neuropathy has expanded practice building to MDs, PTs and DPMs as well. A free CD and information packet on his unique services among healthcare consultants can be obtained by registering your information at http://perfectpracticeweb.com.

For more information on treating and recovering from peripheral neuropathy, get our Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine "Beating Neuropathy" at http://neuropathydr.com. Peripheral neuropathy doctors, physical therapists and patients will find more information as well as post comments and questions at this site as well.

Resources: http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchicago.edu/faq/
http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Living_Ten_Questions





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2012年8月9日 星期四

Peripheral Neuropathy


Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to the peripheral nervous system, which carries all messages to the brain. Peripheral nerves, when damaged, cannot carry, or carry distorted messages, to the brain from the extremities.

Symptoms may include numbness, itching, burning, paralysis, not sweating normally, impaired sexual function, blood pressure fluctuation and even organ failure. Each peripheral nerve has a significant function assigned to it and the problem crops up when these nerves are damaged.

Research shows that there are more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathies. Motor nerves control the muscular actions like walking and talking. Sensory nerves help recognize a gentle touch or a cut, and autonomic nerves control involuntary actions like breathing, heart beat and food digestion. Neuropathy may affect all three classifications, but in most cases it affects only one or two. Doctors make use of terms such as predominantly motor neuropathy or predominantly sensory neuropathy to express the patient's state.

Symptoms vary depending on the type of nerve that is damaged. If it's a motor nerve, weak muscles or painful cramps could result. If a sensory nerve is damaged, a patient may not able to experience touch, feel as if they are wearing a glove though they are not, be unable to recognize small shapes by touching, or become unable to stand when they have their eyes closed. If the damaged nerve is an autonomic nerve, then it can be life-threatening. Breathing could become difficult, heartbeat irregular; fainting when moving from sitting to standing could result. Gastrointestinal symptoms can be an adjunct to autonomic neuropathy, when nerves controlling intestinal muscles are damaged. It could result in constipation, diarrhea, or trouble eating and swallowing.

Causes for peripheral neuropathy include injury (e.g., Automobile accident), systemic diseases (e.g., Diabetes), viral or bacterial infections, and genetic conditions. Diagnosing peripheral neuropathy is difficult as the symptoms are capricious. The doctor must do a thorough physical examination, take the patient's history, and note the work environment, general activities etc. Treatments for peripheral neuropathy are in place but there is still no treatment for inherited neuropathy. In general, maintaining healthy habits like avoiding alcohol and quitting smoking is most important as these hamper the blood vessels that provide nutrients. Weight management, exercise, balanced diet, and eliminating vitamin deficiencies help prevent peripheral neuropathy.




Neuropathy provides detailed information about neuropathic pain, alcoholic neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy, neuropathy medication and more. Neuropathy is the sister site of Congenital Scoliosis.





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2012年8月6日 星期一

Diabetes and Peripheral Neuropathy


Neuropathy happens to be nerve damage that is often a complication of diabetes, and it could happen just about anywhere in one's body. It is referred to as diabetic peripheral neuropathy when a person's legs, feet, arms and hands are stricken.

You will not notice any signs of peripheral neuropathy, as it comes on gradually and worsens as time moves on. Individuals have this condition for a long period before they are actually diagnosed with diabetes. Being a diabetic for only a couple of years increases the odds of getting this form of neuropathy.

Loss of feeling, as well as other complications connected to peripheral neuropathy, could make an individual susceptible to having skin ulcers that may get infected and may possibly not heal. This particular complication of diabetes, can lead to losing your foot, your leg as well as your life.

Causative factors

Neurological injury is generally considerably more prevalent in people who haven't taken care of his or her diabetic issues. Nevertheless, even diabetics that have very good blood sugar management may get peripheral neuropathy. There are many hypotheses as to why this comes about. For instance, there is the possibility that raised glucose levels or narrowed blood vessels injure the nerves.

When this disorder advances, numerous nerves become affected. The seriously injured nerve fibers could potentially cause issues which foster development of ulcers. Such as:

Deformities (similar to hammer toes and also bunions) resulting from motor neuropathy, could possibly result in shoes that chafe the toes creating a sore. Numbness, as a result of sensory neuropathy, can make the person ignorant that this is happening.

As a consequence of feeling like you're numb, a person is not always conscious that they have stepped upon a sharp object and sliced the skin.

Broken skin because of autonomic neuropathy, as well as experiencing numbness due to sensory neuropathy and problems associated with motor neuropathy, could lead to getting sores.

Indicators and symptoms

Depending on which of the nerves are impacted, numerous indicators of neuropathy may possibly be detected.

Regarding sensory neuropathy:

Feeling like you're numb or simply a prickling sensation in your feet
Soreness or possibly pain within your legs or possibly the feet, or a burning feeling or very painful feet

With respect to motor neuropathy:

Muscle weakness along with decrease of over-all muscle tone regarding the feet and lower legs
Decreased balance
Distortions in the contour of the feet that may produce areas of increased pressure

Related to autonomic neuropathy:

Dehydrated feet
Broken or cracked skin

Numbness is the most common and upsetting element associated with peripheral neuropathy. People that have any loss of sensation are actually of great concern. These individuals usually are the ones who get ulcers on the feet which can necessitate amputation.

Prevention

Recommended preventive steps in averting this problem entails:

Keeping blood sugar levels in order

Using carefully fitted footwear to protect yourself from sores

Analyzing your feet on a daily basis. In case you notice any cuts, soreness, skin lesions, or infection, head over to the foot doctor at once.

Visit your foot doctor often in order to have a comprehensive exam to prevent the foot issues related to diabetes.

Arrange regular visits to your physician or possibly endocrinologist. Your foot doctor works in unison with both of them and other professionals to be able to prevent, and in addition treat, further difficulties due to diabetes.

Since people suffering from type 2 diabetes may have several medical issues, medical professionals don't generally detect peripheral neuropathy right after signs and symptoms initially turn up. Always make sure that your pain is shown prompt attention. You should never address it lightly should you have major discomfort in your hands or feet.




Do you have any of the symptoms of diabetes? Early detection is the key to avoiding serious complications like diabetic neuropathy.





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2012年8月5日 星期日

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment


Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is caused by nerve damage in the arms and/or legs and is often associated with fluctuating glucose levels in diabetic patients. However, many diabetic patients keep their glucose levels normal but still get neuropathy symptoms.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Treatments

Your medical professional might have told you there are no effective treatments. This article will break down the different approaches to treatment and symptom management.

The basics - Blood Glucose Levels

For some people, managing blood glucose levels will slow down or even prevent further diabetic peripheral neuropathy. However, it is important to realize that neuropathy is not always caused by fluctuating blood glucose levels.

This is important to know for two reasons. Firstly, if you have diabetes you have to be aware that you can be affected by neuropathy, even if you have normal blood glucose levels. Secondly, having neuropathy does not automatically mean that someone has been irresponsible with their blood glucose levels.

Pain Relief and Pain Management

Pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy can have a profound impact on one's life. Even if pain is not excruciating, it distracts, gets worse at night, keeps you awake, and can cause a vicious cycle that results in a very depressing situation.

Many of the treatments are focused on symptom management, and in this case pain management. The main categories for prescribed pain relief are:

Tricyclic Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, imipramine, and desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofrane)
other types of antidepressants, such as Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Paxil and Celexa
Anticonvulsants, such as Lyrica, Gabarone, Neurontin and Lamictal
Opioids and opioid-like drugs, such as controlled-release oxycodone and tramadol (Ultram)

Simplified, most of these prescription drugs block or inhibit pain receptors, preventing you from feeling the pain or making the pain less intense.

Among the other options used for pain management are lidocaine patches and capsaicin creams.

Other Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment Options

lease consult your medical professional(s) before trying any of the neuropathy treatment options in this article. This article is not medical advice, but points out available options that have worked for other people.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

More and more evidence supports that neuropathy progresses at least in part due to oxidative stress caused by free radicals. ALA is an anti-oxidant, neutralizing free radicals. In additional, ALA has the ability to recycle other anti-oxidants like vitamin C and glutathione.

In Germany, ALA is licensed and has been used as a neuropathy treatment for over 40 years.

Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)

Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) contains two types of Omega 6 fatty acids: linolenic acid (LA) and Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). These fatty acids are essential to increase production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins that reduce pain and inflammation.

In a 1992 study, patients were taking 480mg GLA per day for a one year period. The conclusion of the study was that GLA had a beneficial effect on the course of neuropathy.

Acupuncture

During the last decades acupuncture has received increasing attention in the West. There has been at least one study that has reviewed acupuncture as a neuropathy treatment.

The study was published in March, 2010. Acupuncture was administered for a 3 month period. The study's conclusion was that acupuncture may show good effects for neuropathy.




Michael V writes for TPR20Info.com, visit diabetic neuropathy peripheral treatment for more detailed information on treatments for neuropathy. Also visit TPR20Info.com for other health related articles on no see ums bite treatment among many other topics.





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2012年8月4日 星期六

Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy - A Brief Guide


Peripheral neuropathy occurs when there is disorder in the peripheral nerves. Peripheral neuropathy is classified into many groups according to the cause, type of nerve affected and also by the area of the body where it occurs. One of the most important types of this disease is called idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. The disease is named so, as the causes of it are not recognized as yet.

The nervous system in human beings is basically divided into two parts - the Central Nervous System and the Peripheral Nervous System. The spinal cord and the brain consist of the Central Nervous system. Whereas the various nerves that lead into or branch out from the Central Nervous system consist of the Peripheral Nervous system. Due to various reasons like diabetes, Acrylamide poisoning and sometimes also because of some inherited disorders the peripheral nerves can get severely damaged. In many cases the causes of peripheral neuropathy cannot be found out. Here the case is referred to as Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy is a disease which affects nearly 60 percent of all the diabetes patients. In the United States alone around 20 million people are affected by this peripheral neuropathy.

As per medical estimates in every third case of peripheral neuropathy causes are unknown. Thus every third case is that of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. It is also being said that this condition is very common among the middle aged and the elderly population.

Idiopathic peripheral neuropathy is regarded as a primary disease. People should always be aware of its signs and symptoms so that an early diagnosis and treatment can be done to stop further deterioration of the condition. The main signs and symptoms are numbness, pain and tingling feeling, weakness in the muscles, weakness in the muscles around the ankles, unsteadiness while walking or standing, faintness as well as cramps. There can also be varying symptoms according to the nerves which are affected. Sometimes there may be loss of sense in the toes as well.

Whenever a person goes through the above mentioned symptoms, various tests are conducted to ascertain the cause of the disorder. If no cause can be identified then it is regarded as a case of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. During the diagnosis of this disease different factors are to be taken into account. Medical history of the patient, date of starting of the disease, the affected areas, amount of pain and discomfort are several factors that are considered.

As regards the treatment for idiopathic peripheral neuropathy it is basically symptomatic. If the person is experiencing problems in mobility then occupational and physical therapy is given to cure idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. If it is something related with paresthesias then pain therapy is administered for the patient. In some cases surgery may also be done to correct this disorder.




Amit Raju owns and operates [http://www.abatekmedical.com] , focusing on information about Diabetes Neuropathy [http://www.abatekmedical.com]





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2012年8月2日 星期四

The Different Types of Peripheral Neuropathy


Peripheral neuropathy affects millions of Americans every year. There are three different types of peripheral neuropathy, and they differ significantly both in the numbers of people afflicted and the severity of each different type.

The first type of peripheral neuropathy and the most common type is termed a polyneuropathy. This is most commonly caused by diabetes. The effect is on multiple nerves in the peripheral extremities, potentially including the feet, along with the hands. The nerves in the extremities with diabetes become affected to a varying extent, and a patient may end up having numbness, tingling, pins and needles, or severe pain. The extent of the pain may be different from one extremity to another, and may simply affect the lower extremities and not the hands.

It's not always diabetes that causes a polyneuropathy; it may be of use of drugs like alcohol, heavy metal toxicity such as with lead, utilization of drugs for cancer or infectious diseases, and a multitude of other disorders that can lead to polyneuropathy. At times, the cause is unknown, and this is called idiopathic.

The second type of peripheral neuropathy is called a mononeuropathy. A good example of a mononeuropathy would be carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel syndrome involves compression of one peripheral nerve, that being the median nerve. It is extremely common condition and affects people in varying severity. It may be that it's a minor nuisance, and others may be bothered so badly by it that they need a carpal tunnel release surgery in order to stop the numbness, pain, and tingling. There are a multitude of other conditions where peripheral nerves by themselves are compressed, such as cubital tunnel syndrome or tarsal tunnel syndrome in the foot. The severity of the mononeuropathy may wax and wane, and steroid injections can help decrease the symptoms nicely in order to avoid surgery.

The third type of peripheral neuropathy is called mononeuritis multiplex. This disorder is a fairly complicated, painful condition involving at least 2 separate nerve areas. It is actually a group of disorders that is associated with disorders such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, amyloidosis, Lyme disease, and potentially numerous other conditions. The incidence of mononeuritis multiplex in the US is actually unknown.

When it comes to treatment for the condition, the main factor is whether or not the underlying disorder can be figured out. If so, and be corrected, the neuropathy symptoms may somewhat abate. Or they might not, in which case there are various medications that can stem the tide of pain.




David L. Greene, MD, Phoenix, AZ is CEO of Preferred Pain Center which serves the Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ metropolitan and surrounding areas. He can be reached at dgreene@preferredpaincenter.com and (602) 507-6550.

Preferred Pain Center is a Comprehensive Arizona Pain Management Center including Medical and Interventional Pain Management, Chiropractor Scottsdale Treatment, Physical Therapy, Spinal Decompression Therapy, and Manipulation Under Anesthesia.





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Peripheral Neuropathy and Your Quality of Life


If you're suffering from peripheral neuropathy, you know how much it affects your life.

Every single day...

Even the simplest tasks can be difficult if not impossible...

To anyone unfamiliar with peripheral neuropathy and its symptoms, they might just think "your nerves hurt a little..."

But at a peripheral neuropathy sufferer, you know better...

Peripheral neuropathy not only affects your health, it can wreck your quality of life.

How Do You Define Quality of Life?

Generally speaking, Quality of Life is a term used to measure a person's overall well-being. In medical terms, it usually means how well a patient has adapted to a medical condition. It measures:


Your physical and material well being
Your social relationships - how you interact with others
Your social activities
Your personal fulfillment - your career, any creative outlets you may have, how involved you are with other interests)
Your recreational activities - your hobbies, sports, etc.
Your actual health - what your health is really like and how healthy you believe you are

How do you feel about these aspects of your life? Your attitude and approach to your illness, both your neuropathy and the underlying cause of your neuropathy (i.e., diabetes, HIV/AIDS, lupus, etc.) can make a huge difference in how well you adapt to your neuropathy symptoms.

Neuropathy Symptoms Aren't Just Physical

The pain of peripheral neuropathy falls into the category of what is considered chronic pain. It usually doesn't just come and go. You can't just pop a couple of aspirin and forget about it. It's pain with its root cause in nerve damage.

The nerves that actually register pain are the actual cause of the pain. When you're in that kind of pain on a consistent basis, it affects you in many different ways:


You become depressed and/or anxious
Your productivity and interest at work is disrupted
You can't sleep
It's difficult for you to get out and interact with other people so you feel isolated
You sometimes don't understand why you're not getting better

What You Can Do To Improve Your Quality of Life

You may feel like your situation is hopeless, especially if you've become mired in depression.

But it isn't.

There are things you can do to lessen the physical (and emotional) effects of peripheral neuropathy and help you function as normally as possible:


Pay special attention to caring for your feet. Inspect them daily for cuts, pressure spots, blisters or calluses (use a mirror to look at the bottom of your feet). The minute you notice anything out of the ordinary, call your doctor or your local neuropathy clinician for help. Never go barefoot - anywhere.
Treat yourself to a good foot massage to improve your circulation and reduce pain. Check with your insurance company - if massage is actually prescribed by your doctor, they may cover some of the cost.
Only wear shoes that are padded, supportive and comfortable and never wear tight socks.
If you smoke, quit. Nicotine decreases circulation and if you're a peripheral neuropathy patient, you can't risk that.
Cut back on your caffeine intake. Several studies have found that caffeine may actually make neuropathy pain worse.
If you sit at a desk, never cross your knees or lean on your elbows. The pressure will only make your nerve damage worse.
Be really careful when using hot water. Your peripheral neuropathy may affect the way you register changes in temperature and it's really easy for you to burn yourself and not even realize it.
Use a "bed cradle" to keep your sheets away from your feet if you experience pain when trying to sleep. That will help you rest.
Try to be as active as possible. Moderate exercise is great for circulation and it can work wonders for your emotional and mental health.
Make your home as injury proof as possible - install bath assists and/or hand rails and never leave anything on the floor that you can trip over.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet. If you don't know what you should and shouldn't eat, talk to your neuropathy clinician about a personalized diet plan to maintain proper weight and give your body what it needs to heal.
Try to get out as often as possible to socialize with others.

We hope this information helps you to better manage your peripheral neuropathy symptoms. Take a look at the list above and see how many of these things you're already doing to help yourself. Then talk to your local neuropathy clinician about help with adding the others to your daily life.




For more information on improving your quality of life when dealing with peripheral neuropathy, get our Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine "Beating Neuropathy" at http://neuropathydr.com. Peripheral neuropathy doctors, physical therapists and patients will find more information as well as post comments and questions at this site as well.





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2012年7月30日 星期一

When to Seek Help For Peripheral Neuropathy


Anytime that you begin to notice odd sensation such as tingling feet and numb feet occurring often and lasting for long periods of time seek medical advice from your doctor as soon as you're able to be seen. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes take special note of anything that might feel or seem off to you in regards to your body and your body's functions. Odd sensations such as tingling and numbness could be the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and neuropathy treatment will be needed.

Diabetic Neuropathy might also be referred to as peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy means that the nerves that carry information to and from the spinal cord and the brain has a problem and is not communicating properly. Tingling and pain while walking might be the first thing you begin to notice and a clue that you might neuropathy in the feet.

Formulating a Plan

Speaking to your doctor about your symptoms will help your doctor better diagnose if you are in fact dealing with some form of nerve damage. Your doctor will most likely formulate a plan to help you gain control of your neuropathy and offer suggestions for pain relief. Diet and nutrition will no doubt be one of his suggestions and one that should be considered carefully and possible the first thing you begin to work on. By lowering your weight you will lessen the amount of weight that is on your feet therefore lessening the pain.

Following a well balanced diet plan will ensure that your body is being flooded with important vitamin and nutrients that can work together to provide pain relief and comfort. Certain Vitamins such as B1 and B12 have healing components that can restore and regenerate damaged nerves. Adding natural herbs and alpha-lipoic acid to your treatment plan will most defiantly help reduce the pain and create a sense of relaxation.

Staying Proactive

By staying proactive and vigilant about researching treatment options and products geared to improving the life of those suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy you will be keenly aware of anything worth trying to help you live independently and actively.




Click Here for a Free 2 week trial of a top rated neuropathy treatment with a 95% success rate.





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2012年7月17日 星期二

Potential Benefits of Weight-Bearing Exercise For People With Diabetes and Peripheral Neuropathy


The traditional clinical belief has been that weight-bearing activity such as walking should be discouraged among people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (diabetes and insensate feet due to nerve damage). The presumption was that weight-bearing activities increased the risk of foot ulcers among patients with diabetes and insensate feet. This advice forced people with diabetic neuropathy into a big dilemma: you need to exercise to stay healthy, but you also need to reduce repetitive loading on your feet.

The recognition of the overall importance of exercise for people with diabetes continues to grow. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) now makes these general recommendations for people with Type 2 diabetes:


Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity. The ADA defines moderate intensity as 50-70% of maximum heart rate.
Perform resistance training (weight lifting for example) 3 times a week unless a patient's other medical conditions counsel against it.

For people with diabetes and severe peripheral neuropathy, the ADA says "it may be best to encourage non-weigh-bearing activities such as swimming, bicycling, or arm exercises."

What about this advice from the ADA? Recent studies raise questions about whether the ADA's advice to people with insensate feet might be too conservative. Two descriptive studies indicate that patients with diabetes and insensate feet who engage in daily activity decrease their risk of foot ulceration compared to those who are less active. LeMaster et al. 2003; Armstrong et al. 2004. A more recent, randomized controlled trial found that promoting weight-bearing activity did not lead to increases in foot ulcers among people with diabetic neuropathy. LeMaster et al. 2008. A free copy of this article is available via the federal government website pubmed.gov if you search "lemaster reiber mehr."

Summary: Exercise and particularly weight-bearing activities such as walking are highly beneficial to the overall health of people with diabetes. Recent studies suggest weight-bearing activity may have an overall beneficial even for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. If you have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, discuss this is a topic with your podiatrist and other health care providers. Provide them with the LeMaster article mentioned above.




John K. Lampe is the President of Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc. Tamarack is a privately held, research and development company. Tamarack specializes in ankle-foot biomechanics and friction management technology. Tamarack's ShearBan® is a patented product that reduces the damaging effects of friction on the human body. It is used by professional clinicians to prevent and treat diabetic foot ulcers, excessive callusing, blisters, and other hotspots. [http://www.tamarackhti.com/]





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2012年7月10日 星期二

Causes and Results of Peripheral Neuropathy


Nobody likes pain. In fact, we do our best to avoid it. No one likes physical pain. We try to avoid emotional pain in choosing the right relationships. We generally seek a life without pain...

...then you get your wish and realize that you miss it.

That's exactly how millions feel who are suffering from peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that commonly affects people with diabetes. It can also be caused by a result of chemotherapy, alcoholism, autoimmune disorders, and a host of other conditions that we may not even know about.

So why does it happen? That answer's not so simple. Neuropathy as a complication of diabetes is caused by microvascular disease. That's the small vessels that branch of from the main pipeline arteries. The vessels stop carrying blood, which hold oxygen and nutrients, to the nerves and causes them to fail. So how do we correct this? Not easily. If that's the reason, sometimes the individual needs a procedure to restore circulation. Other times, when the main circulation is in good shape, there may be other modalities. One therapy is called MicroVas, which is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the microvascular circulation to reverse diabetic neuropathy. It is effective based on the cause of the neuropathy. Studies have shown it to be very effective for diabetic patients, but less so for those that have neuropathy due to other reasons.

For conditions other than diabetes, the cause of neuropathy is not clear. If we don't know the cause, then it's really hard to find a solution. Sometimes the cause is a compression of the nerve, sometimes a nutritional deficiency, and sometimes for a reason that cannot be determined.

So big deal, why is this so important. Think about how you react when you touch a hot stove. Your first impulse is to pull back your hand. This is because your brain reacts to the pain even before you can feel it. And if you had no pain? You'd get a pretty nasty burn.

Now think about your feet. We wedge them into shoes every day. What if your shoes didn't fit? The average person would take them off and figure out why. If you had no pain, you'd keep walking. What if you had a pebble in your shoe. Again, the pain would cause you to take care of it. If you were walking barefoot and stepped on a piece of glass? You see where this is going...

People with diabetes will not feel these minor injuries and can develop sores, blisters, and skin ulcers. These ulcers can become infected easily, spread to the bone, and cause major problems. More than 60% of amputations not caused by some sort of trauma is due to complications from diabetes. This is why all people with diabetes should be familiar with a podiatrist. I routinely tell my diabetic patients that they should check their feet daily before they go to sleep and call me if they see anything that wasn't there the night before. I tell them that I'd rather they call me and it be nothing than let it go and let it develop into a problem.

The research documents that a comprehensive foot care program can reduce the rate of amputations in people with diabetes by 45%-85%. With those numbers, you should run (carefully) to your podiatrist's office. It's the first step in keeping you walking for years to come.




Dr. Andrew Schneider of Houston, TX is a podiatrist and surgeon specializing in the foot and ankle. He is the medical director of Tanglewood Foot Specialists and treats all injuries and conditions of the foot and ankle. For more information and many informative videos, visit http://www.tanglewoodfootspecialists.com and his blog at http://tanglewoodfootspecialists.blogspot.com.





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2012年7月9日 星期一

Acupuncture Can Help Relieve Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Pain


If you're a diabetic and have progressed to peripheral neuropathy complications, chances are you've been prescribed medications by your endocrinologist or doctor. Anti-seizure drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, opioids, anti-depressants and topical anesthetics are usually given as medications for diabetic nerve pain. They may have offered you some relief. But you can't endure the side effects of some of your medications.

You'd like to try alternative medicine and someone suggested acupuncture. Does acupuncture really work?

Research on Acupuncture on Diabetic Peripheral Neuritis

As early as 1997, Abuaisha et al of the Department of Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary conducted a study entitled, "Acupuncture for the treatment of chronic peripheral diabetic neuropathy: a long-term study." It studied the effectiveness of acupuncture in alleviating the painful symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

46 diabetic patients suffering from painful longstanding peripheral neuropathy were involved in this study. The patients were given 6 courses of classical acupuncture over a period of 10 weeks using traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture points. 44 of the patients completed the treatment with 34 patients or 77 percent exhibiting significant improvement in their symptoms. They were followed up for 18-52 weeks and 67 percent were able to reduce their medications. However, eight or 24 percent required further acupuncture treatment. 34 or 77 percent noted significant improvement in their symptoms while only 7 patients or 21 percent had a clearing of their symptoms. One patient didn't finish the full course. There had been no reported side effects. The study strongly suggests that acupuncture is a safe and effective long term management of painful diabetic neuropathy.

The US National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine have endorsed this therapy as alternative and complementary.

What Acupuncture is

If you haven't any idea what it is, it has ancient beginnings in China and is part of traditional Chinese medicine. Very thin but solid sterile needles are inserted in identified areas in the skin called qi, meridians or acupuncture points. It is believed that stimulating these points corrects imbalances to "improve health and well-being." But scientific research finds no histological or physiological correlates for qi, meridians or acupuncture points.

Researchers are not also clear on how acupuncture works but are unanimous that it can relieve pain in a variety of conditions; and reduces nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemo.

A well trained acupuncturist does the procedure. In the US, the practice of acupuncture utilizes medical traditions originating from China, Korea, Japan and other countries.

The Acupuncture Procedure for Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment

The treatment is done on both sides of the body. Acupuncture points are inserted with needles on the hands or feet or both depending upon where the pain is felt. The patient usually lies prone and needles are inserted at specific points in the lumbar or cervical areas of the spine. If neuropathy pain occurs at the hands, needles are inserted at the cervical area and at the lumbar area if pain is felt at the lower extremities. Both lumbar and cervical areas are inserted with needles if both upper and lower extremities are involved. The needle points are actually where the spinal nerves exit from the spinal column and travel to innervate the hands and feet. Points at the feet and hands are also inserted with needles. The combination of techniques reduces sensitivity of nerves and restores them to their normal functions. This actually, relieves the nerve pain of diabetes.

Very thin needles, around 5-20, are used and don't cause much discomfort when inserted. The acupuncturist may move the needles gently or twirl it and you may feel mild aching sensation. Heat or mild electrical impulses can be applied through the needles.

The needles are removal after 10-20 minutes. There should be no discomfort. Your acupuncturist should discard the needles after removal.

Majority says they feel energized after a session. But you may need a series of treatments to feel improvement of your symptoms.

Bottom Line

If you are considering acupuncture to relieve pain of your peripheral neuropathy inform your doctor or endocrinologist. Most important of all, you should continue your insulin or anti-diabetic medications including medications for your neuropathy.

Acupuncture can help in conjunction with nutritional supplements such as alpha lipoic acid, biotin, evening primrose oil, cinnamon and Vitamin B complex. You should continue with your diabetic diet, exercise and blood glucose monitoring. A good control of your blood glucose levels will prevent further deterioration of your diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Be sure to seek a licensed acupuncture practitioner. In the US, qualified acupuncturists are members of the American Association of Oriental Medicine. You can find one in your area.




A B Stephens is a chemical engineer by profession. Her passion to help diabetics stems from the fact that members of her family and her husband's family are diabetics. They launched http://www.typefreediabetes.com in 2007 - a one-stop shop for people who have diabetes - a lifestyle store complete with whatever a diabetic would need to live his/her life to the fullest! Numerous studies have proven that nutritional supplements such as alpha lipoic acid, biotin, evening primrose oil, acetyl-L-carnitine, bromelain, quercetin, black currant seed oil and other supplements can help in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. http://www.typefreediabetes.com/Diabetic-Neuropathy-Supplements-s/11556.htm





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2012年6月13日 星期三

Causes and Results of Peripheral Neuropathy


Nobody likes pain. In fact, we do our best to avoid it. No one likes physical pain. We try to avoid emotional pain in choosing the right relationships. We generally seek a life without pain...

...then you get your wish and realize that you miss it.

That's exactly how millions feel who are suffering from peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that commonly affects people with diabetes. It can also be caused by a result of chemotherapy, alcoholism, autoimmune disorders, and a host of other conditions that we may not even know about.

So why does it happen? That answer's not so simple. Neuropathy as a complication of diabetes is caused by microvascular disease. That's the small vessels that branch of from the main pipeline arteries. The vessels stop carrying blood, which hold oxygen and nutrients, to the nerves and causes them to fail. So how do we correct this? Not easily. If that's the reason, sometimes the individual needs a procedure to restore circulation. Other times, when the main circulation is in good shape, there may be other modalities. One therapy is called MicroVas, which is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the microvascular circulation to reverse diabetic neuropathy. It is effective based on the cause of the neuropathy. Studies have shown it to be very effective for diabetic patients, but less so for those that have neuropathy due to other reasons.

For conditions other than diabetes, the cause of neuropathy is not clear. If we don't know the cause, then it's really hard to find a solution. Sometimes the cause is a compression of the nerve, sometimes a nutritional deficiency, and sometimes for a reason that cannot be determined.

So big deal, why is this so important. Think about how you react when you touch a hot stove. Your first impulse is to pull back your hand. This is because your brain reacts to the pain even before you can feel it. And if you had no pain? You'd get a pretty nasty burn.

Now think about your feet. We wedge them into shoes every day. What if your shoes didn't fit? The average person would take them off and figure out why. If you had no pain, you'd keep walking. What if you had a pebble in your shoe. Again, the pain would cause you to take care of it. If you were walking barefoot and stepped on a piece of glass? You see where this is going...

People with diabetes will not feel these minor injuries and can develop sores, blisters, and skin ulcers. These ulcers can become infected easily, spread to the bone, and cause major problems. More than 60% of amputations not caused by some sort of trauma is due to complications from diabetes. This is why all people with diabetes should be familiar with a podiatrist. I routinely tell my diabetic patients that they should check their feet daily before they go to sleep and call me if they see anything that wasn't there the night before. I tell them that I'd rather they call me and it be nothing than let it go and let it develop into a problem.

The research documents that a comprehensive foot care program can reduce the rate of amputations in people with diabetes by 45%-85%. With those numbers, you should run (carefully) to your podiatrist's office. It's the first step in keeping you walking for years to come.




Dr. Andrew Schneider of Houston, TX is a podiatrist and surgeon specializing in the foot and ankle. He is the medical director of Tanglewood Foot Specialists and treats all injuries and conditions of the foot and ankle. For more information and many informative videos, visit http://www.tanglewoodfootspecialists.com and his blog at http://tanglewoodfootspecialists.blogspot.com.





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2012年6月10日 星期日

Potential Benefits of Weight-Bearing Exercise For People With Diabetes and Peripheral Neuropathy


The traditional clinical belief has been that weight-bearing activity such as walking should be discouraged among people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (diabetes and insensate feet due to nerve damage). The presumption was that weight-bearing activities increased the risk of foot ulcers among patients with diabetes and insensate feet. This advice forced people with diabetic neuropathy into a big dilemma: you need to exercise to stay healthy, but you also need to reduce repetitive loading on your feet.

The recognition of the overall importance of exercise for people with diabetes continues to grow. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) now makes these general recommendations for people with Type 2 diabetes:


Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity. The ADA defines moderate intensity as 50-70% of maximum heart rate.
Perform resistance training (weight lifting for example) 3 times a week unless a patient's other medical conditions counsel against it.

For people with diabetes and severe peripheral neuropathy, the ADA says "it may be best to encourage non-weigh-bearing activities such as swimming, bicycling, or arm exercises."

What about this advice from the ADA? Recent studies raise questions about whether the ADA's advice to people with insensate feet might be too conservative. Two descriptive studies indicate that patients with diabetes and insensate feet who engage in daily activity decrease their risk of foot ulceration compared to those who are less active. LeMaster et al. 2003; Armstrong et al. 2004. A more recent, randomized controlled trial found that promoting weight-bearing activity did not lead to increases in foot ulcers among people with diabetic neuropathy. LeMaster et al. 2008. A free copy of this article is available via the federal government website pubmed.gov if you search "lemaster reiber mehr."

Summary: Exercise and particularly weight-bearing activities such as walking are highly beneficial to the overall health of people with diabetes. Recent studies suggest weight-bearing activity may have an overall beneficial even for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. If you have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, discuss this is a topic with your podiatrist and other health care providers. Provide them with the LeMaster article mentioned above.




John K. Lampe is the President of Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc. Tamarack is a privately held, research and development company. Tamarack specializes in ankle-foot biomechanics and friction management technology. Tamarack's ShearBan® is a patented product that reduces the damaging effects of friction on the human body. It is used by professional clinicians to prevent and treat diabetic foot ulcers, excessive callusing, blisters, and other hotspots. [http://www.tamarackhti.com/]





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