Diabetes chronic pain is suffered by many diabetics. Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for more than six months, experienced nearly every day, is of moderate to severe intensity, and significantly interferes with the person’s daily activities. Not only does diabetic chronic pain interfere with the diabetic’s quality of life, but it makes the self-management of diabetes more difficult. This of course leads to higher glucose levels which further the complications of diabetes.

Diabetes chronic pain is invisible to others, so they often have no idea what the patient is going through. Therefore, relationships with family members, coworkers, and health-care professionals are often severely affected. The person physical activities, work, and other daily activities are affected as well. So, the question is ‘what can be done to make these matters better’?

 

Treating Diabetes Chronic Pain

 

According to DiabetesSelfManagement.com, there are 6 major approaches to treating and self-managing pain. These are:

  1. Physical approaches –physical treatments include applying heat or cold to the parts that hurt, massage, exercise, and rest. Exercise is one of the best treatments for several reasons. Strengthening muscles eases pressure on the joints and tendons, and stretching increases your flexibility. In addition, moving around takes the pressure off of your tender muscles and nerves.
  2. Neurological approaches – Anti-seizure medications calm down overactive nerve pain. Anti-depressants can do the same. Many people often use electrical pain stimulation to block pains signals from traveling up the nerves. Keeping yourself engaged in relaxing activities such as playing with a pet, knitting, or painting can also keep you from being run down by diabetes chronic pain.
  3. Mental approaches – Your thoughts have more to do with the severity of your pain than you might think. For example, the “In wartime, soldier’s wounds often are less painful than the same wounds would be in a civilian. Why? Because the wounds signify that the wounded soldier will soon be going home, but the civilian’s injury is a source of fear and anxiety.” This is called the ‘Anzio effect’, states DiabetesSelfManagement.com.
  4. Spiritual approaches – Spiritual approaches help you to connect with the positive aspects of one’s life. Continually tap into the things that bring you pleasure and comfort, such as puppies, or kids, or nature. Everyone has sources of inspiration, courage, and hope which can bring about strength and keep you working within a positive light.
  5. Alternative therapies – Herbs and oils have been used to relieve pain for centuries. Lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, rose, clove, rosemary, ginger are all ingredients of essential oils that have been known to relieve pain. Plant-based supplements such as curcumin, Echinacea, chamomile, ginger, and arnica have also been found to have positive effects on diabetes chronic pain. However, speak to your doctor before using any of these remedies in order to avoid adverse drug interactions.
  6. Whole body-mind treatments – These include losing weight, watching what you need, pacing yourself, laughing, engaging in sex, and getting enough sleep (DiabetesSelfManagement.com, 2012).