DIABETIC NEUROPATHY: THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN YOU FEEL ALL THE TIME
Are you suffering from diabetic neuropathy, the excruciating foot pain when you walk, sit, or try to lie down and sleep?
It seems endless. No one can help. You’re on medications but really? You are still in pain.
There’s no way to explain the horrible pain you feel with this chronic symptom.
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So, let’s help you with this foot pain, shall we?
We know that neuropathy comes from the inability of oxygen to get to those nerves in your lower legs and feet.
What carries oxygen to the feet? Your blood vessels!
What’s in the blood vessels? Blood!
How do we open the blood vessels to get the blood which carries the oxygen to our lower legs and feet and stop this foot pain?
There are 4 Steps to Relieving Your Foot Pain.
#1 – get a bucket of warm water that will cover your lower legs and feet. I really like this one because it is portable. Even though it is only 11 inches tall, it will not make you or your loved one have to raise their legs real high so it’s easy to get in and out of.
#2 – The water must be warmer than the rest of your body. This is important because your blood will flow to the area of least resistance so if we can open up those blood vessels in your lower legs and feet we can get the oxygen to those nerves and muscles. The water does not have to be real hot. It just needs to be warmer than the rest of your body which is 98.6°.
#3 – Once the water becomes cooler or you don’t feel the difference in the temperature you must immediately take your legs out of the water. You want to keep your blood vessels dilated by using WARM water. If you let the water get cold, you are closing those vessels!
#4 – make sure to dry your feet completely and put on these socks or something like it. I like the fact that they cover your angles, will keep you warm, and will not allow you to slip. Socks that cover only the feet leave the ankles and lower legs exposed to get cold again.
If you have issues getting up from the chair…
Also, if you or your loved one has mobility issues, then I recommend a second chair right next to where you soak your feet. Put a non-slip foot mat that will stand the test of time and keep your loved one from slipping. Now you can dry off your feet and put on your socks without kicking the bucket of water aside or worse, dropping your sock in it.
Do this twice a day: once in the morning for 10 minutes making sure the water stays warmer than your body. And once in the evening for another 10 minutes.
But Suzanne how do I know if the water is warming than my body?
That’s easy, it feels warm. If you want to know what your internal temperature is, there’s a really weird way…feel your urine as it comes out. Then wash your hands.
Or… stick your hand in water you think is the same temperature as your hand. If you can feel it as hot or cold, it is not the same temperature. If you can’t feel the water, it’s the same temperature! Try it!
Is There A Better Way to Relieve This Foot Pain?
Well, doctors can operate on your legs to try and open your arteries and try to get rid of the foot pain.
But if you could do this by using heat twice a day, wouldn’t you do this first?
Here are the do NOTS:
- Do not use a heating pad, it doesn’t work.
- Do not take a bath. If you put your whole body in a tub or hot water you are opening all the blood vessels at once. The point of soaking only your lower legs and feet is to DIRECT the blood to that area only.
- Do not soak just the feet. You need the lower legs to open those vessels to get the blood to the feet.
- Don’t just soak. Use this time to tighten and relax your feet and leg muscles 30 times. I like to crunch my toes and then relax to do this. It makes my muscles help move the blood through the vessels.
- Do not walk until your feet are completely dry. I use this non-slip mat and non-slip socks because wet floors and wet feet mean falls.
An Added Benefit to Soaking!!
I had an 86-year-old patient come in with the most gorgeous legs. I asked her how she kept her legs looking so nice and if she did ads for lower legs.
“She just smiled and said I’ve soaked them every night all my life. My mom said it calmed me down and helped me sleep better.” Hmmm.
Remember to always check with your doctor before changing any plan or treatment.
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