Nobody wants to hear they have diabetes. It’s a life-changing diagnosis that brings on a flood of side effects, painful symptoms, and inconveniences like diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Fortunately, you can find lasting relief from the pain with our expert care.
Our team of experienced physicians and surgeons at US Neuropathy Centers specialize in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy with nerve decompression surgery.
First, let’s look at how diabetes affects your body. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down and creates glucose. Your organs then process the glucose and store or use it as energy. Simultaneously, your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin, which helps the glucose reach your cells to be used as energy.
When your pancreas is unable to produce insulin or your cells don’t respond to it, your blood becomes saturated with glucose. This condition is what you know as diabetes.
There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. If you have Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, your pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin.
Type 2 happens when your body is still able to produce insulin, but your cells don’t respond to it as well as they once had. This type has a strong link to obesity.
One of the most frustrating and debilitating side effects of diabetes is peripheral neuropathy. This is a condition in which your nerves become damaged. You experience numbness, weakness, and pain, especially in your hands and feet. The high glucose levels in your blood damage the nerves in your body, most often the nerves in your hands and feet.
Treatments for diabetic peripheral neuropathy include creams, medications, and peripheral nerve stimulators, which are small devices placed under the skin to regulate your pain sensors. If these more conservative methods aren’t effective, we might recommend nerve decompression surgery.
The goal of this procedure is to surgically relieve pressure on your nerves. We typically perform nerve decompression surgery for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the foot. Our surgeons make a small incision to reach the affected nerve, then cut the ligaments covering and putting pressure on your nerves. This decompresses your nerves, allows for more blood flow, and lets your nerves function normally again.
This kind of surgery is an outpatient procedure. On average, the entire surgery takes an hour. We remove your dressings and stitches about a week following surgery. You need crutches to get around immediately after surgery, but you’ll be walking comfortably on your own within a few weeks.
Opting for nerve decompression surgery is often the best and most effective way to eliminate and relieve the pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, but there are things you can do to make sure the results last, including:
Another way to stay the painful effects of diabetic peripheral neuropathy is to take good care of your feet. Make sure your feet are clean and well cared for. Investing in a good pair of comfortable sneakers that fit you perfectly is another great way to avoid any pain.
Don’t be defeated by your diabetes and the symptoms that come with it. Fight back against diabetic peripheral neuropathy with nerve decompression surgery. If you’re interested in seeing if you’re a good candidate for surgery or would simply like to discuss your options, call our office in Marietta, Georgia, today or request an appointment through our online tool.
