|  | Conditions Treatments | Diabetes

Heat Treatment for Foot Neuropathy Caused by Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affects nearly every portion of the body. High blood sugar levels cause damage to the body over time, including damage to the nerves. Nerve damage, or neuropathy, affects up to 60% of all diabetics.

  1. What is Diabetic Neuropathy?

    • Nerve damage (neuropathy) often occurs as a result of uncontrolled blood glucose levels. In the feet, this can result in a loss of sensation to hot and cold, and an overall loss of feeling, even to pain stimuli. Often, tingling and pain precipitates numbness.

    Heat Therapy for Feet

    • According to the American Diabetes Association, due to the loss of sensation caused by nerve damage, diabetics should not attempt to heat their feet as the heat can cause further damage. Instead of using heating pads, hot water, or hot water bottles, diabetics should rely on socks to warm their feet.

    Prevention

    • Proper blood glucose control is the key to the prevention of diabetic neuropathies. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, diabetic neuropathies are more common in diabetics who have problems controlling their blood sugar levels, are overweight, and have high levels of blood fat and high blood pressure.

    Foot Care

    • Diabetics need to take special care of their feet, including properly fitting shoes, regularly scheduled podiatrist exams, and the completion of a thorough examination of the feet each day (to locate potential injuries). Additionally, diabetics should keep toenails trimmed and callouses filed, never walk barefoot, wash feet daily in warm (not hot) water, and wear white socks (which show blood).

    Neuropathy Research

    • While there is no treatment for diabetic neuropathy, there is research being done on a class of drugs called PKC inhibitors, which work by improving blood supply. According to Aaron Vinik, M.D., Endocrinologist, E. Virginia Medical School, PKC inhibitors have been shown to slow, and even reverse, some of the nerve damage suffered by diabetics.

Diabetes - Related Articles