Overstretched or fatigued muscles, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle usually cause diabetic back pain, although there are others factors specific to diabetic patients. In a study done by Sarah Krein, PhD, RN, 60% of patients (1,000 diabetic subjects) suffered from chronic pain mostly in their back, hip, and knee. Most patients said that the pain was interfering with their daily lives and treatment of diabetes, including regular exercise and eating properly, and 78% of subjects reported taking some form of painkiller. The trend among subjects was that overweight young women using insulin reported the highest incidence of chronic pain. Extending beyond the physical, there was an increased incidence of depression amongst the subjects as well with nearly half showing symptoms compared to 20% in a pain-free group. Social isolation is a common side effect of this form of depression as well.

Focal Neuropathy and Diabetic Back Pain

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