Diabetic neuropathy is a painful secondary effect of diabetes where our body’s nerves become damaged due to prolonged exposure to high blood glucose levels. Symptoms of neuropathy often include tingling, numbness and shooting pains along the nerves and typically affect the extremities such as the hands or feet.

While there are a number of different types of neuropathy that affects different areas of our body’s the important fact about all types of neuropathy is that it can only be cured if its prime cause is cured. For example, if your neuropathy is caused by high blood glucose levels once you lower the glucose levels the symptoms will typically go away. However, if there is extensive damage it may take a very long time for the nerves to regenerate.

Neuropathy has been found to be particularly worse in people who have a vitamin B12 deficiency.  B12 supports the sheathing that protects our nerves and medical studies have also found that B12 promotes the regeneration and growth of new nerve cells. The best way to receive additional B12 is through monthly shots since this vitamin is not readily absorbed by the body in capsule form.

Neuropathy is a painful condition brought on by elevated glucose levels and is experienced by nearly 70% of all diabetics. If you are diabetic and over the age of 50 it is vital that you begin today to replenish your body and protect your nervous system to prevent long term damage.

L-Carnitine is a vital nutrient produced by our body yet for people who are suffering from diabetic neuropathy may need more than what is produced to receive the benefits from this amazing element. L-Carnitine benefits for neuropathy includes promoting nerve regeneration and pain reduction associated with neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy occurs when elevated glucose levels go uncontrolled over an extended period of time and causes nerve damage. Pain associated with this type of neuropathy includes numbness, tingling, and shooting pain along the path of the nerve and is commonly targeted in our feet and hands. The most important thing to do when you experience these symptoms is contact your physician to see if your glucose levels are elevated and if they are to get them back to the normal range as soon as possible.

Recommended dosage of L-Carnitine is no more than 3 grams per day for people suffering from neuropathy and it’s best to talk with your physician for what his or her recommendation is. It is also important to know that there are side-effects including diarrhea, headaches, heartburn, high blood pressure, blurred vision, and indigestion.

The side effects are rare yet if you experience them you may want to let your physician know.

If you have numbness in toes my heartfelt sympathies are with you. What you are experiencing is called peripheral neuropathy and is typically a side effect of diabetes and not a very fun side effect either. Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord are damaged and can be due to any number of causes including traumatic injury, infection, chemotherapy, and diabetes. However, diabetes is a typical cause because of damage to the nerves when blood sugar levels are out of control over an extended period of time, generally several years. If you suffer from numbness in your toes you need to know that the pain is only temporary and relief is available.

If the numbness in your toes is because of your diabetes the first thing you will need to do is to get your blood glucose levels under control through a combination of a strict, non-starchy diet and regular exercise. This is only the first step however and what you will also want to do is relieve the pain as soon as possible.

One of the following will probably be recommended by your physician: anti-depressant or anti-seizure medication which works with your brains receptors to numb the pain; narcotic pain relievers such as morphine, hydrocodone, codeine, , or oxycodone can get rid of the pain however the possibility of addiction is high so you will want to regularly visit your physician; acupuncture or TENS therapy which are designed to inhibit the pain signals you are receiving through the use of needles or electrical shocks; topical ointments including lidocaine patches or capsaicin cream which will anesthetize the toes.

Further relief can be found in a dietary supplement known as Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). ALA has been found to not only help reduce pain, burning, itching, tingling, and numbness in people who have nerve damage caused by diabetes but also helps lower blood sugar levels and keep them in the recommended range.

You don’t have to live with numbness in your toes. Relieving your nerve pain must begin by lowering your glucose levels so that your nerves can heal themselves. Once this has been accomplished there are a variety of methods available that can help you deal with the pain of this side effect of diabetes.