Dr. Viquar Qureshi

If you have numbness or tingling sensation in your feet, then you could be suffering from diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It can have an impact on your sleep, mood and overall quality of life. Besides taking the prescribed medications, there are effective ways of dealing with foot pain stemming from high blood sugar as explained below.

1. Taking over-the-counter medicines: Medicines such as aspirin, naproxen, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help to serve mild to moderate pain stemming from diabetic nerve damage. But before taking these medicines, you should consult with an expert since they can raise the risk of heart attack and kidney problems.
2. Quit smoking: Smoking may cause the blood vessels to constrict and impair the circulation. This indicates that the peripheral nerves will not get an adequate amount of nutrient-rich blood which can pave the way for more pain.
3. Have control over your blood sugar levels: With the passage of time, the excess blood sugar levels can cause damage the peripheral nerves. When you have blood sugar levels within a healthy range, you can substantially reduce your risk of nerve damage. You should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy and whole grains.
4. Take more Vitamin D: Even though it is hard to get the desired 600 IU of this vitamin from food, you can get it in the form of supplement. A study found that people with diabetic neuropathy can take the supplement once in a week to curb the symptoms of feet pain. Vitamin B complex plays a crucial role in improving nerve health. You should get it in right amounts so that the brain can produce certain chemicals which are required for sending information through the body channels.
5. Take Alpha-lipoic acid supplement: The human body has the natural ability to produce little amounts of antioxidants. When you take them in recommended quantities it can regulate the blood sugar levels and ease the pain in the feet and palms. A per a study, people taking more than 600 milligrams of antioxidants on a regular basis experienced 19 percent improvement in the diabetic neuropathy symptoms within 5 weeks.
6. Indulge in daily workouts: Regular workout can help you to combat pain in a variety of ways. It can regulate the blood sugar levels and slow down nerve damage. Exercise can surge the flow of blood to the legs and arms and it can also enliven your mood and offer relief from stress.

Note that a nerve damage can lead to loss of sensation in the feet which means that you may not realize any cut or scratch in your feet until much later which could prove fatal. Hence it is essential for you to prevent the loss of sensation. Using the methods suggested above you can deal with the foot pain related to diabetes. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!