Diabetes is a serious issue that is affecting more people every day. Beyond just blood sugar issues, diabetes can cause delayed wound healing and tons of other problems for patients. In this article, we’ll take a look at how chiropractic care can help patients with diabetes better manage their condition and take their lives back!
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes, technically known as diabetes mellitus, is a common metabolic disease. There are two major types of diabetes mellitus: type I and type II. In both types of diabetes, there is an issue with blood sugar regulation.
Type I DM, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, occurs due to insufficient production of insulin in the body. As a result of this issue, blood sugar builds up in the system, causing tissue breakdown and tons of health problems. Luckily, with exogenous insulin, these patients can live relatively normal lives.
Type II DM, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, is generally considered to be a lifestyle disease. This means that diet, lack of exercise, and obesity are usually the main drivers of the disease. These individuals are able to produce insulin in sufficient amounts, but their tissues aren’t as sensitive to insulin as they should be. This results in a buildup of blood sugar throughout the body, causing similar problems to those seen in type I DM.
Luckily, chiropractic care can help patients with diabetes manage their condition through simple, tried and true treatments.
Who Suffers from Diabetes?
Diabetes can affect anyone of any age. Most often, type I diabetes affects younger people, and type II diabetes affects middle-aged and older individuals.
However, we are seeing an unfortunate trend in which people are developing type II diabetes at younger and younger ages. Decreased exercise and increased poor nutritional strategies have led to increased obesity and metabolic disease in younger people.
What are the Common Medical Treatments for Diabetes?
Often, diabetics will be prescribed medications to manage their blood sugar issues. For instance, Metformin is a common diabetes drug prescribed to many people.
However, medications always come with risks. Therefore, it’s always better to find natural treatments such as exercise, dietary modification, and chiropractic care.
Top 3 Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Diabetics
Chiropractic care offers a number of benefits to diabetics. Let’s take a look at the top three!
Benefit #1: Improved Sensation
One of the major problems encountered by diabetics is decreased sensation in their hands and feet. For this reason, diabetics are often encouraged to wear thick, protective shoes to prevent injury to the bottom of their feet.
Chiropractic care can help to improve blood flow and nerve communication to these affected areas, leading to improved sensation.
Benefit #2: Increased Strength
Diabetics will often suffer from weakness, especially in their hands and forearms.
Interestingly, chiropractic manipulations may be able to improve the connections to the nerves in these weak areas, allowing the muscles to function better.
Often, diabetics who receive regular chiropractic care will have an easier time with daily activities involving grip strength, such as twisting off lids and opening doors.
Benefit #3: Improved Balance
Because of the decreased sensation and weakness in their extremities, diabetics can often suffer falls and other balance issues.
By training their balance through exercise and balance practice, these individuals can often learn to safely navigate their environment. Chiropractic care can assist in this area, by helping the nerves communicate with the muscles responsible for balancing.
Chiropractic care is a viable treatment option for diabetics. If you are suffering from diabetes of any type, consider visiting your Lithia, FL chiropractor today at At Last Chiropractic. Book your appointment today.
