Treatments to Defeat Diabetic Neuropathy

If you or someone you know is dealing with diabetic neuropathy, you are aware just how painful and debilitating this condition can be. The numbness, discomfort, and loss of sensation in the extremities isn’t just inconvenient—it can cause real problems.

Fortunately, several effective therapies for diabetic neuropathy exist. Here are a few of my favorites.

Chelation. Chelation is an intravenous therapy that binds to metal ions in the blood, carrying them to the kidneys where they are excreted in the urine. Used for heavy metal poisoning, chelation also improves circulation, which helps alleviate symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP). EECP increases blood flow to the extremities and reduces symptoms of diabetic and peripheral neuropathy. During 35 one-hour sessions, pressurized cuffs are placed around the lower extremities. With each beat of the heart, the cuffs contract, squeezing blood up toward the heart and throughout the body, increasing circulation.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is administered in a specially designed, pressurized chamber. When 100 percent oxygen is inhaled in this environment, it is easily absorbed, even in areas where blood supply is limited. This infusion helps boost circulation and improves a wide number of conditions, including diabetic neuropathy.

Infrared Light Therapy. Infrared light therapy (brand names Health Light and Anodyne) delivers special wavelengths of infrared light through the skin to the affected tissues, increasing the production of nitric oxide (a signaling molecule in short supply in diabetics). This painless procedure enhances blood flow, improves circulation, and has restored sensation in 93 percent of patients in eight separate clinical trials.