Diabetic Neuropathy and Physical Therapy

By Emmanuel Moses, PT, CMTPT

Evidence PT

. http://www.evidencept.com/

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Diabetic Neuropathy and Physical Therapy

Diabetic neuropathy is a special type of nerve damage that occurs particularly in diabetics. When your sugar levels are higher than normal, it damages the nerves and blood vessels overtime. This is one of the reasons why it is very important you keep your blood sugar levels under control. People who are unable to control their blood sugar levels are at high risk of getting diabetic neuropathy. People with cholesterol problems such as high cholesterol and those who smoke also put themselves at high risk, and men are more likely to have diabetic neuropathy than women.

So can you avoid getting diabetic neuropathy? There is no simple answer. What you can do is to take care of your diabetes. The most important thing is to keep your blood sugar levels under control. A healthy diet and weight loss are two of the biggest ways to reduce your chances of reaching the stage of diabetic neuropathy. Exercise is also an important factor in keeping your sugar levels at bay. You need to take any medication, insulin or other prescriptions that your doctor prescribes as directed and make sure you do not miss your medical dosage.

Physical Therapy Can Help

Exercise is the foundation for the safe, effective treatment of diabetes. A physical therapist can evaluate a diabetic patient and determine if there is any muscle weakness, imbalance, impairment of sensations or aches and pains.

No matter how you look at it, diabetic neuropathy is not a pretty thing. It can be painful, it can be deadly and it can't be cured. If you're already a diabetic, this is a wake-up call to listen to the professionals so you don't end up with any of these problems we've listed. Your first step is to take control of your life, change your lifestyle, get professional help and begin your walk on the healthy path of life.

If you have been told you are “border line” diabetic or “guaranteed you'll be diabetic by a certain age” now is your time to change that. You can keep from becoming diabetic by altering your lifestyle now. You do not have to take this path of pain and agony. However, if you already have diabetic neuropathy or you are “border line” diabetic, a physical therapist can help you improve your quality of life.