Nerve damage from diabetes
Hyperbaric medicine is a great hope in the treatment of neuropathy. It is a disease in which diabetes causes nerve damage and subsequently manifests itself with pain, tingling or numbness of the hands and feet.
Diabetic neuropathy arises due to high levels of triglycerides and blood sugar, affecting especially long-time diabetics. As a complication of diabetes, the disease does not avoid patients with either type 1 or type 2. It is characterized by permanent nerve damage in various parts of the body, which leads to a number of associated health problems, such as loss of feeling in the affected areas, balance problems or reduced function of some organs. This disease occurs in up to 50% of all diabetics with varying intensity and it is characterized by its slow and pernicious development. In the early stages, it is very difficult to reliably diagnose it, since some symptoms are easily confused with other diseases. Neuropathy can worsen for years and damage nerves without the patient even noticing.
Risk factors that can result in nerve damage are, in particular:
- poor disease management – fluctuations in blood sugar levels, especially hyperglycaemia
- duration of diabetes – long-time diabetics have a higher chance of developing nerve damage
- kidney damage – kidneys with limited function are unable to adequately filter toxins that can damage nerves
- smoking – smoking narrows blood vessels and impairs blood supply to the limbs
- overweight
It is the most common and at the same time the most difficult to diagnose form of diabetic neuropathy. As the name implies, peripheral neuropathy damages the nerves in the extremities, affecting especially the feet, legs and, in some cases, palms. It is manifested by reduced sensitivity to touch, pain, or temperature changes, but hypersensitivity to external stimuli is no exception.
Especially with reduced sensitivity, the onset of the disease may not be noticed by the patient at all. For example, it often happens that a person suffering from peripheral neuropathy can injure their foot and not feel pain at all. Untreated wounds become sources of infection or purulent blisters that are difficult to heal. Untreated peripheral neuropathy can lead to amputation of a limb. (2)
In addition to lower or, conversely, higher sensitivity, this form of neuropathy has other symptoms:
- cramps
- swelling
- tingling
- impaired balance
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. It has a positive effect on the health of patients with diabetic neuropathy. HBOT increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and tissues, aiding oxygenation of peripheral nerves and consequently reducing inflammation in the nerves. Studies have shown that treatment in a hyperbaric chamber can help reduce pain and improve nerve function. It has been successfully used to treat various forms of neuropathy, including diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and post-herpetic neuralgia.
In addition to the benefits in treating neuropathy, treatment in a hyperbaric chamber has been shown to have a positive effect on many other health conditions, such as wound healing, carbon monoxide poisoning, and radiation damage (tissue damage after radiation exposure).
Overall, hyperbaric medicine is a branch of medicine that offers hope for patients with neuropathy and other health problems. HBOT has shown promising results in treating neuropathy by reducing pain and improving nerve function. With ongoing research and advances in technology, the potential benefits of hyperbaric medicine are enormous.
In order for the treatment of complications of diabetes to be successful, it is necessary for there to be:
- Close cooperation with specialists (diabetologist, nephrologist, neurologist, ophthalmologist, otorhinolaryngologist, pedologist)
- Diabetes compensation and patient cooperation
- Maintaining sugar levels – a healthy lifestyle and diet