Is Your High Blood Sugar The Reason That Causes Your Joint Pain
It is no secret that Diabetes Mellitus causes various health problems regarding all of the bodys systems. However, what may surprise a lot of people is finding out that Diabetes can actually worsen their joint pain or even cause one if not present before.
One study published in the Acta Medica Scandinavica talked about a diagnosis known as the Diabetic shoulder. Diabetic shoulder, also known as frozen shoulder, is a condition in which the capsule of the shoulder joint becomes swollen and thickened causing decreased mobility, pain, and persistent stiffness to occur. It is not that Diabetes is the only cause for this condition, however, within patients suffering from Diabetes, the symptoms of the frozen shoulder are much more severe and harder to treat.
To sum up a lot of musculoskeletal conditions are associated with Diabetes Mellitus. As you can see, Diabetes Mellitus actually worsens the symptoms caused by these musculoskeletal conditions, especially joint pain. And the musculoskeletal problems related to Diabetes are much more common among young adults, unfortunately. So now that we established that, lets see what you can do about it.
Experts Have Warned That People Can Develop Diseases Post
Written by Editorial Team | Updated : July 6, 2021 10:31 AM IST
During the first wave of the pandemic, pre-existing diabetes appeared to be one of the major risk factors that lead to the development of more severe Covid-19 illness. Patients become more likely to experience cytokine storms and require ICU care. The disease can lead to new onset of type 2 diabetes in patients, which has persisted even after finishing the steroid course and post-recovery from the illness. Interestingly, many of these individuals did not have risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes.
In most of the patients infected by the virus, blood glucose levels quickly rise. Further, treatment with steroids exacerbates the blood glucose problem. During the first year of the pandemic, many patients with type 2 diabetes presented with diabetic ketoacidosis, which is otherwise rare in patients with type 2 diabetes, raising the suspicion if the virus directly affects the pancreatic insulin-producing cells.
Tips For Treating Diabetic Nerve Pain
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Overview
Diabetes can cause long-term problems throughout your body, especially if you dont control your blood sugar effectively, and sugar levels remain high for many years. High blood sugar can cause diabetic neuropathy, which damages the nerves that send signals from your hands and feet.
Diabetic neuropathy can cause numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes, hands, and feet. Another symptom is a burning, sharp, or aching pain . The pain may be mild at first, but it can get worse over time and spread up your legs or arms. Walking can be painful, and even the softest touch can feel unbearable.
Up to 50 percent of people with diabetes may experience nerve pain. Nerve damage can affect your ability to sleep, decrease your quality of life, and can also cause depression.
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Only Diabetics Get High Glucose Values
While a high glucose value can indicate diabetes, nondiabetics can also have higher values than normal. When researchers studied people wearing a continuous glucose monitor who did not have a diabetes diagnosis, they found 93% of individuals reached glucose levels that are considered dangerous, with 10% spending over 2 hours per day in these dangerous levels. Traditional glucose measurements, like a single point in time blood glucose value, are unable to capture these abnormalities.
There are actually several causes of high blood sugar unrelated to diabetes that the CDC recognizes. These include certain foods, like artificial sweeteners and coffee. Other factors like stress can do it, too. If you live with an endocrine or pancreatic condition, had surgery recently, or are experiencing intense physical stress , you may also see your glucose value rise.
What Causes Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can reflect injury that hasnt completely healed. More often, it is caused by nerves that have become oversensitive or by a brain that is misreading the signals it receives. If acute pain goes on too long, nerves and brain can tire of the constant signals and just decide the injury is permanent. Thats why its important to treat acute pain seriously. For example, if you injure your foot or your back and dont treat it promptly with adequate rest, other first-aid measures, and seeing a doctor if the pain is severe or persists mild pain can become severe, and acute pain can become chronic.
A good way to understand the many causes of chronic pain is by considering phantom limb pain. When people lose an arm or leg in an accident or surgery, about half of them will still feel that the limb is there. About half of those people develop serious pain in the phantom limb. Obviously, this isnt due to physical injury going on in the moment. Its a misunderstanding by the brain of the signals it is getting and not getting. The brain figures the signals add up to something seriously wrong, so it sends out an urgent pain message.
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Natural Sugars Vs Added Sugars
Naturally occurring sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruit and milk . Added sugars include any sugars or caloric sweeteners that are added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation. Added sugars can include natural sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar and honey as well as other caloric sweeteners that are chemically manufactured .
Caring For Your Hands And Feet
Diabetic nerve damage causes pain and can also affect your ability to feel pain, so its important to maintain your foot health.
To take better care of your feet, check your feet every day for cuts, sores, swelling, and other problems, even if you dont feel any pain there. They can get infected, and untreated infections can lead to serious complications, including amputation.
Wash your feet daily with warm water, and dry them completely afterward. Then apply a lotion to keep them moisturized. Avoid getting lotion in between your toes.
Wear comfortable, flexible shoes that give your feet room to move. Break in new shoes slowly so that they dont hurt your feet. Ask your doctor about customized shoes if regular shoes dont fit well.
Always cover your feet with shoes, slippers, or thick socks to cushion them and prevent injuries.
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Can Pain Increase Blood Glucose Levels In Diabetics
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What Is High Blood Glucose
To fully understand your blood glucose levels, itâs important to know: a) what values are actually considered high, and b) factors that can cause your elevated reading in the first place.
High blood glucose, also known as hyperglycemia, occurs when there is too much sugar in the bloodstream. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is the result of too little glucose in the bloodstream. Hyperglycemia usually occurs because your body doesnât produce enough insulin or canât properly use the available insulin to remove the glucose from the bloodstream.
Using milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood for measurement, high blood glucose readings after a meal indicating prediabetes can fall between 140 and 199 mg/dL. Levels reaching 200 mg/dL two hours after eating indicate you may already be insulin resistant or diabetic, though that diagnosis will need to come from your doctor. By comparison, the typical standard for normal glucose readings is to remain under 140 mg/dL throughout the day and under 100 mg/dL after eight hours of fasting.
A range of lifestyle factors, habits, and health conditions can cause high blood sugar. To debunk common hyperglycemia myths, review causes and symptoms, and discuss the best ways to address them, we spoke with two experts on high blood sugar levels: registered dietitian and For The Love of Diabetes creator Lori Zanini and registered dietitian nutritionist and diabetes management expert .
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How Can You Reduce The Pain Caused By Diabetes Mellitus
- Watch what you eat Diabetes is sure not an easy thing to live with. However, what most people tend to forget is the importance of their diet, especially when they are dealing with something as difficult as Diabetes. A lot of your everyday difficulties caused by Diabetes Mellitus, including your joint pain, can be reduced if only you watch the way you eat.If you are experiencing some difficulties in arranging a diet for yourself, you can fix that by asking for help from a professional nutritionist. The most important thing to remember is to include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, a lot of water and a lot of chicken and fish instead of alcohol, red meat, artificial sweeteners, processed food and so on.
- Exercise By following a healthy diet and doing your regular exercise you can reduce your body weight gradually. And reducing your weight is essential, especially if you are suffering from a combination of Diabetes Mellitus, obesity and joint pain. By reducing your body weight for even 15 pounds, you can help decrease your knee pain for 50%. And that is by no mean a small change.
- Eliminate your stress When your stress levels rise up your blood sugar levels do also. And when this happens chances are that your joint pain will increase gradually. So what you need to do is eliminate as much as stress as possible from your life. And exercising, healthy eating and practicing yoga and meditation can help you on the way.
What You Need To Know About Neuropathy
You cant always avoid neuropathy, but lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk even if you have diabetes.
Keeping your blood glucose levels in a healthy range is extremely important. You can do this by maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. Also, avoid smoking and limit your alcohol intake.
If you think you may have autonomic neuropathy, watch for these symptoms:
- Dizziness or fainting when you stand
- Urinary problems like incontinence or inability to fully empty the bladder
- Sexual difficulties like erectile dysfunction or low libido
- Digestion difficulties like appetite loss, difficulty swallowing and heartburn
- Sweating too much or hardly at all
- Intolerance to exercise
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away. Getting an early diagnosis and treatment can help slow nerve damage and repair problems. Treatment options for neuropathy may include:
- Pain medication
- Occupational therapy for coping with pain and loss of function
- Aids like braces to increase mobility and reduce pain
- Nutritional changes
If you have type 2 diabetes have your doctor screen annually for autonomic neuropathy. If you have type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends annual screenings starting five years after your diagnosis.
Read more expert advice fromSue Cotey, RN, CDE, and Andrea Harris, RN, CDEon their blog.
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Roller Coaster: Female Hormones
When a woman’s hormones change, so does their blood sugar. Keep a monthly record of your levels to get a better idea of how your menstrual cycle affects you. Hormone changes during menopause may make blood sugar even harder to control. Talk to your doctor about whether hormone replacement therapy is a good idea.
Getting Your Symptoms Under Control
Figuring out the real cause of your nerve pain is crucial in determining your best treatment options. How our office treats your symptoms greatly relies on your symptoms and underlying health conditions, such as diabetes.
If we determine that your symptoms are originating in your sciatic nerve, we may suggest one of several treatment options, such as:
- Rest
- Heat
- Physical therapy
If your pain doesnt subside over several months, even with conservative treatments, our doctors may suggest surgical intervention. This type of surgery may involve removing part of the disc thats causing compression of the nerve.
Our doctors may also conclude that your symptoms are originating from high blood sugar. In this case, getting your blood sugar under control is one of the best things you can do to stop the neuropathy from progressing.
Although theres no cure for diabetic neuropathy, it can be managed with healthy blood sugar levels and medications.
Find out why youre suffering from nerve pain, and get the treatment you need. , to schedule an appointment, or book online today. You can also send a message to the team here on our website.
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All Carbs Are Created Equal
Phipps explains that, despite containing similar amounts of carbohydrates, one serving of pasta could have a hugely different effect on your blood glucose levels than one serving of rice. Likewise, that serving of pasta may have an entirely different effect on your blood glucose levels than your friendsâ or even family membersâ. âWeâre all unique,â Phipps says.
Why Does Diabetes Increase Your Risk Of Heart Disease
If you have high blood sugar levels for a period of time, even slightly high, your blood vessels can start to get damaged and this can lead to serious heart complications.
This is because your body canât use all of this sugar properly, so more of it sticks to your red blood cells and builds up in your blood. This build-up can block and damage the vessels carrying blood to and from your heart, starving the heart of oxygen and nutrients.
So keeping as close as possible to your target HbA1c level will help protect your blood vessels and in turn your heart. Even mildly raised blood sugar levels can, over time, put you more at risk.
Be in the know about your HbA1c and how to lower it if itâs too high.
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Can Pain Cause Blood Sugar Level To Rise
Yes, the pain causes a high blood sugar level. It has been noted in several medical studies and clinical trials that patients with severe and chronic pain have a high blood sugar level. However, the exact mechanism of the rise of blood sugar level directly due to pain is not known, but it is evident that some secondary health conditions developed due to pain causes a rise in sugar level in the blood. For complete understanding, we should know about the complete mechanism of feeling pain.
What Happens If I Have Kidney Disease
Your healthcare provider will create a special treatment plan for you. This may include taking medicines, limiting salt and certain foods, getting exercise, and more. You will also need regular checkups to monitor your kidney function. Having kidney disease or diabetes does not mean your kidneys will fail. Finding and treating it early can help keep kidney disease from getting worse.
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Ways Sugar Can Cause Pain
1. Linked to Blood Sugar DysregulationEating sugar causes blood sugar levels to rise and then drop quickly. When your blood sugar is not stable, it leads to mood swings, fatigue, painful headaches, and more cravings for sugar. Before long, you are in an endless loop of cravings, hunger, and more sugar intake. By ditching the sugar, you can end the rollercoaster ride of high to low blood sugar swings.
2. Linked to Heart Disease
Sugar causes blood sugar levels to rise and drop quickly
Eating too much sugar increases your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as a heart attack or stroke. And it appears that even if you eat a healthy diet, those of us eating more sugar are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. High-sugar diets stimulate fat production in the liver which is associated with heart disease furthermore, researchers have found that patients reporting chronic pain are at an increased risk of cardiac disease.
Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar
When you first found out you had diabetes, you tested your blood sugar often to understand how food, activity, stress, and illness could affect your blood sugar levels. By now, youve got it figured out for the most part. But thenbam! Something makes your blood sugar zoom up. You try to adjust it with food or activity or insulin, and it dips really low. Youre on a rollercoaster no one with diabetes wants to ride.
Do you know all of these blood sugar triggers?
Knowledge is power! Look out for these surprising triggers that can send your blood sugar soaring:
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