Easing the Burden: Helping Seniors with Diabetic Nerve Pain
Home Care in Palm Beach County FL
Many people who have diabetes begin to struggle with neuropathy, also called diabetic nerve pain, at some point. With all the other aches and pains that seniors work through, it’s good to know that home care and loved ones can help ease their frustrations and possibly pain. Keep reading to learn more about symptoms and ways that seniors can manage it and get relief.
Understanding Diabetic Nerve Pain
Diabetic nerve pain, or diabetic neuropathy, can happen to anyone who has had diabetes for a long time. It mostly happens in the limbs, like the feet and hands. It can also happen in other parts of the body. The thought is that consistent and long-term high blood sugar is the culprit, damaging the nerves over time. What loved ones, seniors, and home care might not know is that there are different types of neuropathy.
The most common type of neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy. It causes pain, tingling, or weakness in the limbs, as mentioned above. In addition, seniors might struggle with autonomic neuropathy. This type affects their nervous system, making it harder to control blood pressure, heart rate, and digestion. Proximal neuropathy mainly affects the hips, buttocks, and legs. Medical professionals also refer to it as diabetic amyotrophy. Finally, focal neuropathy should be understood as it might be the most serious type of neuropathy. It tends to come on quickly. It affects the nerves, causes muscle weakness, and might be the most painful of all.
How Can Home Care and Loved Ones Help?
For some seniors, discussing the pain they’re in might be difficult. Especially if they have difficulty asking for help or feel like they’re being a burden. One of the best things that home care and loved ones can do is encourage open communication. It’s also important to monitor their movements, body language, and behavior to detect when something is wrong.
Other tips for helping move through the pain or decrease their risk of neuropathy and the pain associated with it are:
- Encourage Blood Sugar Monitoring: Seniors who have diabetes should keep a close eye on their blood sugar levels. Controlling blood sugar is key to reducing their risk of nerve damage. Check-ups with their medical team and monitoring with the home care staff can help with this.
- Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle: Eating well, working out regularly, and staying at a healthy weight can all help control diabetes and ease the pain of diabetic nerve pain. It is recommended that seniors choose healthy foods and do physical tasks that are appropriate for their level of ability.
- Medication Management: To control the pain that comes with diabetic neuropathy, doctors may recommend medicines like painkillers or ones that help stop seizures. It’s important for seniors to take their medications as directed and talk to their doctor about any worries or side effects.
- Take Care of Feet: Seniors with diabetic nerve pain need to take extra care of their feet. To keep from getting hurt, they should check their feet every day for any signs of injury or illness, wear shoes that fit well, and avoid going barefoot.
These are only a few of the ways that seniors and their support team can work to reduce the risk of diabetic nerve pain. They are essential to their care. The home care team and loved ones can work together to help seniors live healthier and more comfortable lives.