Tips To Slow Down and Prevent Diabetic Nerve Damage

Nerve damage is common in people with diabetes because diabetic neuropathy—or nerve damage—is a result of high blood sugar. The high blood sugar damages your nerves and makes you feel everything from mild numbness to shooting pain whenever you try to get up and walk. Luckily, there are ways you can slow down and prevent diabetic nerve damage altogether. Read on to learn more.

Get Some Exercise

If you have nerve damage in your feet, getting up and moving may seem counterintuitive. However, that should be your next plan of action. If the pain is excruciating, consult your doctor to ensure you should be exercising in your condition. Otherwise, a good rule of thumb is to monitor the types of exercise you do. Doing a lot of running and jumping exercises will likely only worsen your diabetic neuropathy (DN). Instead, it might be wise to start with low aerobic exercises. Weightlifting, swimming, and walking are all good choices and will help you manage your diabetes.

Get the Right Footwear

Getting the proper foot support is a game changer. Most shoes are not built for the unique problems that people with diabetes face. The laces might be too tight at the top of the shoe. The heel could lack support. It could be too narrow. Luckily, for people with diabetes, tailored medical shoes are available online and in your local shoe stores. Diabetic shoes have a fully supported heal and room for additional insoles. You’ll also find that the box where your toes meet is much wider, and the leather is soft. All these features will help protect your feet and help to slow down and prevent diabetic nerve damage. 

Watch What You Eat

While you can incorporate a lot of good foods into your diet, there’s also a lot you should avoid. One of the first things you need to avoid when you have DN or to prevent symptoms from occurring altogether is sugary snacks. Avoiding sugary snacks should come as no surprise since excessive sugar consumption can be deadly when you have diabetes. You should also stop eating salty foods, like cold cuts, frozen meals, and chips. These can lead to restricted blood flow, which can cause your symptoms to flare up.

Overall, there are many habits you can build into your lifestyle when it comes to preventing diabetic neuropathy. You’ll be in tip-top shape by going out and exercising, wearing medical-grade diabetic shoes, and avoiding harmful foods!