Exercise Helps Neuropathy

Although directed specifically at people with diabetes, today's post from pamplinmedia.com (see link below) contains a message that can help all people living with neuropathy and that is that exercise does help. Very few people with pain in their feet and legs really want to hear that and if you have severe neuropathy, you'll understand why. However, inactivity, however much easier that is, leads to muscle degeneration and stagnation of your nerve problems; these in turn lead to other problems within the body, not least the build up of fat where it's not wanted and the risk of heart problems etc etc. Exercise is essential. That said, you do need expert guidance as to what sort of exercise is appropriate in your case. Asking the doctor may not provide you with the answers you need, so it may be worthwhile researching on the internet to find the best qualified physical therapists in your area. it's a lot of work but you will benefit in the end.

Research shows exercise therapy helps diabetic peripheral neuropathy 
Created on Wednesday, 09 April 2014 01:00 | Written by Colin Hoobler 

To Your Health

I’m 54 years old and have had Type 2 diabetes for 10 years, but now it’s worse because I also have pain, numbness and tingling going down my legs. My doctor says this is common in people with diabetes and prescribed medication along with a series of injections, which have helped, but I don’t like the side effects. Can physical therapy help? — Gwen (Vancouver)

 Get started -- Physical therapy can help with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, but it should be in the form of exercise therapy as opposed to 'traditional' methods such as manual therapy and ultrasound.The answer is yes, but it should be a certain type of physical therapy if you want to address both your leg pain and diabetes, which is the likely cause of your leg pain.

You get Type 2 diabetes from eating a poor diet and inadequate exercise over an extended period. In Type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells aren’t effectively processing insulin, the hormone from your pancreas that controls blood sugar. Consequently, blood sugar is isn’t absorbed from the bloodstream well and remains chronically higher.

The pain, numbness and tingling you’re having is called diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which occurs in about 33 percent of American diabetics over 40 years old and is the result of nerve degeneration. Many people with peripheral neuropathy eventually have problems with walking, maintaining balance and lower leg injury.

Extensive research has shown the importance of regular exercise accompanied by a sound diet in managing diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy, however, is another story. Only recently has research shown the importance of exercise therapy for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Those who followed a 10-week supervised endurance and strengthening program yielded dramatic reductions in pain and nerve symptoms while increasing new nerve growth.

This is a big deal, because it offers a new, cost-effective physical therapy that you can use in addition to medication and/or injections to expedite recovery.

Physical therapy can help, but it should be in the form of exercise therapy as opposed to “traditional” methods (e.g., manual therapy, ultrasound, modalities) so you start to address the cause of your diabetes. Many physician and physical therapy offices are recognizing the need for an exercise therapy emphasis in the medical treatment of diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. Health insurance companies (including Medicare) are also recognizing the importance of this medical model, as they are covering physical therapy services for exercise therapy to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, back pain, osteoarthritis and many other costly lifestyle-related conditions.

Specifically, your exercise therapy program should help you learn how to exercise safely and effectively on your own with whatever equipment you have available. A skilled physical therapist can show you how to strengthen, stretch and improve endurance of your muscles.

Note that your muscles are like “blood sugar sponges;” the stronger they are, the more blood sugar they can absorb and therefore control your blood sugar. One of the great things about strengthening exercise is its brevity, as you can complete a full-body routine in only 90 minutes per week.

The use of exercise therapy to help treat peripheral neuropathy is relatively new, so you may have to suggest it to your doctor to get the proper physical therapy referral for insurance coverage. Regardless, you have more control over your recovery than previously thought.

Colin Hoobler is a licensed physical therapist and has written two books on exercise as treatment for disease and injury  

http://www.pamplinmedia.com/nbg/144-features/216456-76408-research-shows-exercise-therapy-helps-diabetic-peripheral-neuropathy