Does Being Healthier Add Years to Your Life?
September 30, 2017Releasing a Pinched Nerve
October 12, 2017Did you know that physical therapy treatments can help patients that have diabetic neuropathy? There are many symptoms that diabetics live with. Some of those include fatigue, slow-healing wounds, and neuropathy symptoms such as tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands and feet. Physical therapy can help give you a more active lifestyle to help your symptoms. We cater our services to every patient and provide treatments that are natural and safe for your level of activity. Being more active means that your blood is circulating more, and thus carrying nutrients to parts of the body that need it most. A lack of circulation can cause many problems in diabetics, just as many other symptoms can. Let us help get you moving and get your body feeling better with physical therapy services today!
Diabetes by the Numbers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published a 2017 report on the statistics of both diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. An estimated 30.3 million people in the United States (both children and adults) have diabetes. That amounts to about 9.4% of the U.S. population. Your risk for diabetes (especially Type 2) increases with age. For many patients that have Type 1 diabetes, they are born with it. Type 2 diabetes can be developed due to genetic predisposition, weight, or diet. About ⅓ of patients don’t realize that they even have diabetes until symptoms begin to manifest. Some of those symptoms include:
- Increased thirst and frequent urination
- Extreme hunger (even if you are eating a normal amount)
- Weight loss for no apparent reason
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Frequent infections
- Blurred vision
- Slow-healing sores
- Neuropathy symptoms
Even if you don’t believe that you have diabetes, you never want to ignore these types of symptoms, as they are not symptoms healthy bodies usually have. One such symptom we treat often at our office is neuropathy.
Neuropathy Symptoms
One of the most common symptoms associated with diabetes is neuropathy. Neuropathy involves damage or defects with the peripheral nerve system. This is the system of nerves that branch out from the spinal cord and brain and go throughout the entire body. If a nerve becomes compressed due to chronic conditions, moving wrong, trauma, poor posture, or more, then you will start to either feel pain, or numbness and tingling. Serious cases of nerve compression can cause paralyzation, loss of consciousness, or breathing problems.
Diabetic neuropathy generally occurs in the hands and feet. Patients have less circulation in the extremities, which can cause neuropathy symptoms to develop. Limbs can actually begin to die over time if they don’t receive enough circulation, which can be very painful for patients. It can also require amputation of toes, fingers, the feet or more. Patients who suffer from diabetic neuropathy not only have a harder time getting around, but also put themselves at risk for a sedentary lifestyle, which only makes diabetes worse.
Physical Therapy Helps Diabetic Neuropathy
We have many physical therapy services at our office that include:
- Active Release Technique
- Anti-Inflammatory/Joint Injections
- Chiropractic Care
- Class IV Laser Therapy
- Electrical Stimulation Therapy
- High-Tech Rehabilitation
- Neuropathy Treatment
- Vibration Exercises and Rehabilitation
- Pain Management
- Regenerative Medicine
Many patients utilize several of these therapies during their healing process. Our neuropathy therapy is the most effective physical therapy treatment for patients with diabetic neuropathy. We use High Frequency LED treatment to help increase microcirculation in the body, especially the limbs that are prone to the most problems. This LED treatment helps to release nitric oxide from red blood cells so that the nerves can heal easier. We also use an EPS8000 treatment to improve circulation and motor function in the peripheral nerve to help get back nerve function.
Healthy tissues and nerves need food and oxygen to repair and function correctly. We help our patients with exercises as they receive extra oxygen to speed up the repair process. Vibration therapy is also a wonderful tool for patients who can’t move around well, as it allows them to receive a workout to their muscles while standing on a shaking platform. If there is extensive nerve damage already, we can use our neuromuscular re-education equipment to help activate nerves that are dormant and provide shear stress to the legs and feet. There are so many options that we can customize to each patient’s need!
Get Effective Help Today
Diabetic neuropathy does not have to be something you deal with on a daily basis. Many people spend years dealing with their symptoms because they don’t realize they can receive help. Don’t let diabetes or its symptoms prevent you from living life the way you want to. Receive effective diabetic neuropathy treatment today at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center. Want to learn more? Call our office today at (512) 806-0015 and see what physical therapy treatments can help your life be easier and better!