Diabetes is a formidable disease associated with abnormalities in the endocrine system. The main symptom of pathology is high blood sugar levels. Also, patients have metabolic disorders, there are a large number of concomitant diseases and complications, the appearance of which provokes diabetes.
Approximately 30% of patients with diabetes have leg problems, the likelihood of such complications increases with the age of the patient. It is regrettable to admit, but there is no single prescription for treating pain in the legs with diabetes. The main thing is not to delay the problem, but to urgently contact a medical institution for professional help.
Causes of Complications
Why does diabetes cause leg pain? Doctors today identify three main reasons why such problems arise with diabetes:
- Neuropathy. This is a nerve damage that occurs precisely in the presence of diabetes. High blood sugar negatively affects the nerve endings, which leads to loss of sensitivity of the feet. Many patients cease to feel pain and temperature changes, pressure exerted on the feet. But pain is a determining factor in the prevention of disease. If a person does not feel pain, then he may not notice the appearance of ulcers and wounds, respectively, it is too late to consult a doctor.
- Angiopathy. This type of pathology is associated with vascular damage. High blood sugar negatively affects all vessels of the body, including the smallest capillaries. Due to the fact that the vessels of the legs are quite far from the heart muscle, double pressure is applied to them. As a result, not only dry skin on the lower extremities appears, which is almost impossible to cope with, but also microcracks. Bacteria penetrate these cracks, and wounds appear that are very difficult to heal.
- Arthropathy. This lesion is associated with joints. Due to the fact that diabetes interferes with the exchange of glucose and proteins, changes in the cartilage tissue occur, which is the reason for the development of hyperostosis. For this reason, with diabetes mellitus, the feet are sore and swollen. In the chronic form, deformation of the fingers occurs, often there are dislocations, fractures. The foot itself becomes shorter and wider.
Diabetic foot syndrome
Against the background of neuropathy, diabetic foot syndrome may develop. Most often this occurs after fractures and dislocations. The main symptoms of the syndrome include:
- loss of sensitivity to hot and cold;
- loss of sensitivity to pressure and touch;
- constant pain.
The danger of the syndrome is that many patients do not follow the doctor's recommendations, do not follow the wounds that appear, as a result - the active reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, gangrene and amputation.
The most characteristic signs of complications
If with diabetes mellitus severely sore legs, then you should pay attention to other symptoms:
- there is a peeling of the skin, dryness;
- swelling and pallor of the lower extremities;
- weak pulse in the peripheral arteries;
- the appearance of pigmentation in certain areas of the skin;
- bluish skin color;
- feet cold to the touch.
Naturally, these are not the only symptoms that may accompany the development of complications of diabetes. Therefore, all patients who suffer from this disease are advised to inspect their limbs daily, especially in old age.
Diagnostic measures
To determine the degree of damage to the lower extremities requires a comprehensive and complete examination of the patient. In addition to collecting an anamnesis, in order to determine the clinical form of the disease, an examination of the legs is carried out, an assessment of the neurological status, that is, temperature, vibration and tactile sensitivity is determined.
Using vascular dopplerography, the state of arterial blood flow is assessed. If necessary, the examination can be supplemented with functional tests to determine the condition of the distal bed and so on. Rheovasography, angiography and other methods for studying the blood flow of the lower extremities are also often used, which are selected depending on the degree of complications and the alleged causes of their development.
What to do: legs hurt with diabetes?
The main tactic in therapy is the stabilization of blood glucose levels. If sugar is within normal limits, then there is no negative effect on blood vessels. Depending on the type of disease, different methods are used:
- Type 1 diabetes involves the use of insulin throughout life;
- Type 2 diabetes, or “sweet disease,” involves eating foods that are low in sugar.
Other rules that will facilitate the process of treating leg pain in diabetes mellitus include:
- Body weight control. The more a person weighs, the worse the vessels “feel” themselves, and the endurance threshold decreases.
- Comfortable shoes should be preferred; do not chase after fashion. According to statistics, most of the lower limb injuries occur precisely because of wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- It is necessary to include sports. To improve blood circulation in the lower extremities, it is not necessary to run, even loads from daily walking at a distance of 3 kilometers are enough.
- Constant monitoring and prevention of the appearance of concomitant diseases.
Be sure to immediately seek medical help at the first appearance of signs of vascular impairment.
How to deal with edema?
Treatment of leg pain in diabetes mellitus should begin with the removal of puffiness, since this symptom most often accompanies complications of diabetes.
Swelling can occur not only against the background of vascular damage, but also due to problems with the kidneys, peripheral nervous system and joints. It is very important at this stage to give preference only to comfortable shoes so that the liquid does not accumulate in certain areas of the lower leg and does not enhance the manifestation of swelling.
The doctor will definitely advise you to review the diet, adjust the amount of fluid and salt consumed. It is better to exclude from the diet saccharides and lipids, which are quickly absorbed by the body. And, of course, cigarette smoking and drinking are strictly prohibited.
In some cases, it is considered justified to use antihypertensive and vasodilator drugs, it can be:
- calcium channel blockers, for example, "Nifedipine";
- phosphodiesterase inhibitors - "Papaverine";
- ACE inhibitors and prostaglandins.
How to relieve pain?
How do legs hurt in diabetes? If, in addition to pain, night cramps are often tormented, anticonvulsants, for example, “Carbamazepine,” can be prescribed. To remove "bad" cholesterol, medications with derivatives of thioctic acid are prescribed. They can reduce the toxic effects of cholesterol. Such drugs include: "Thiogamma", "Berlition" and others.
Some patients are prescribed antidepressants, which are initially taken in the minimum dose, gradually increasing it. Most often they use "Amitriptyline".
To resume the processes of transmission of nerve impulses, use B vitamins, which contribute to the restoration of the nervous system as a whole. By the way, some of the best reviews are about this treatment technique.
As a local treatment, applications with anesthetics are used.
But you should always remember that you can’t prescribe pharmaceuticals yourself, since absolutely all of them have many side effects.
How to treat trophic ulcers and wounds?
Legs hurt with diabetes, how to treat if wounds have already appeared? Therapy in this case already involves local treatment with antiseptics and antibacterial agents. In sufficiently advanced cases, excision of corns, trophic ulcers and necrotic zones may be indicated. In the future, wounds are regularly treated with drugs with sterile dressing.
Processing and washing is carried out using Miramistin, Chlorhexidine or saline. In no case does it allow the use of iodine, manganese or alcohol solutions. Good results are given by antimicrobial agents in the treatment of wounds: "Curiosin", "Betadine", "Levomekol."
Surgery
Treatment for leg pain in diabetes mellitus may involve surgery. Most often, an operation is performed if it is necessary to restore blood circulation against the background of atherosclerotic vascular lesions.
In particular, a bypass procedure may be recommended. The operation involves suturing a synthetic prosthesis in the area of ​​clogged artery. Balloon angioplasty is also often performed. In this case, a special balloon is introduced into the damaged vessel, which is then inflated and a lumen appears accordingly.
In the most advanced cases, an operation is performed to amputate a limb when gangrene has already begun.
Alternative therapy
Is it possible to treat pain in the legs, feet with diabetes at home? Yes, it is possible, some medicinal herbs and mixtures quite well stop the pain.
Flax seeds (2 tablespoons) are poured with half a liter of boiling water and simmered over low heat for 15 minutes. After the broth, you need to infuse for 2 hours, strain and consume 2 times a day, a quarter cup. The course of treatment is 5 days.
Good reviews about comfrey tincture. The crushed root (1 tablespoon) is poured with 1 liter of vodka and insisted for 21 days. After this, tincture is consumed three times throughout the day, 1 tablespoon each (after eating food).
Local treatment at home
First of all, a contrast shower for the lower extremities is recommended. It is necessary for 10 minutes to keep your feet under hot water and 3 minutes under cold. Such a simple procedure can improve local blood circulation and relieve pain. You can use special water vibratory massagers, which are sold in pharmacies and specialty stores.
You can prepare a tincture of Kalanchoe. As diabetics respond, such a remedy relieves pain well. To prepare the tincture, one leaf of the plant is finely chopped and placed in half a liter of vodka (alcohol). The mixture is insisted for 14 days. After this period, rubbing is done or lotions are made.
If your toes are sore with diabetes, then you can use a mixture of essential oils and aloe juice. Aloe extract is available at the pharmacy. From the oils you need to take: menthol, eucalyptus, cloves. All components are mixed and rubbed toes and feet with the resulting mixture.