I’ve had neck spurs, plantar fasciitis (heel spurs), trigger finger, and arthritis. Now I have sciatica on my back. If you haven’t already guessed, diabetes affects the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system supports you and helps you to move. It encompasses your bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Diabetes can cause bone and joint disorders, and as a result, you can have muscle pain, joint pain, swelling, and restricted flexibility.
How Diabetes Affects the Musculoskeletal System
High blood sugar can affect joints and muscles, leading to pain. Nerve damage, arterial disease, and obesity also contribute to bone and joint disorders.
NSAIDs and Prescription Medicine
Pain medicine is not always the best remedy. They can cause side effects, and if you’re like me, they don’t help. Also, a study shows that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may worsen inflammation in the knees. After four years, joint inflammation and cartilage were worse for those taking NSAIDs compared to those who did not take them (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nsaids-may-worsen-arthritis-inflammation-301681834.html). Examples of NSAIDs are ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin.
I’ve taken powerful painkillers and muscle relaxants. I have to admit I was secretly happy they did nothing for me. I dislike prescription medicines because they usually give me adverse side effects. The opportunity to find natural remedies made me happy. And I discovered a ton of them.
Besides medicine, I’ve also received steroid injections, also known as cortisone shots. While they have eased the pain significantly, they have also raised my blood sugar, and it takes a full day for my blood sugar to return to normal. Therefore, be aware that steroids/cortisone will make your blood sugar rise.
Natural Remedies that Have Helped Me
Natural treatments, support garments, and one outpatient medical procedure have helped me ease the pain. Now, I have to tell you I am the person who will go to the store and purchase a bunch of remedies if I believe they will help. I bought Aspercreme, Icy Hot, Arnica, and hemp lotion, but nothing worked. What did work was an ointment of Frankincense (Boswellia) and Myrrh. Because they are anti-inflammatory, they ease nerve pain. I find they help with mild pain.
Turmeric Supplements
I feel the pain in my heel spurs when I miss or forget to take turmeric. Turmeric’s yellow color is due to curcumin, which is anti-inflammatory. However, you should not take turmeric with other blood-thinning medications such as aspirin, Plavix, or Warfarin because it may increase bleeding. Besides taking turmeric, a heel insert and foot roller massager have helped with the heel spurs.
Moving
Exercising helps with pain and I include physical therapy in this category. Physical therapists have taught me how to exercise and stretch painful muscles. It may seem counterintuitive to move a joint and muscle that hurt. But unlike exercising a sprained or broken bone, exercising and stretching will help with pain and stiffness. Physical movement helps lubricate your joints. It also strengthens muscles, and stretching improves your range of motion and maintains flexibility. You can also perform low-impact exercises like walking, cycling, or swimming.
A study published in Wiley Online Library noted that walking could ease the pain of those with knee osteoarthritis. Out of 1212 participants, knee pain improved for those who walked for exercise. The research encouraged walking as an exercise for people with knee OA.
I enjoy walking, which is low-impact. I also enjoy using an elliptical machine, which makes me feel like I’m running but is gentle on my knees. The moving handlebars also stretch my neck spurs and reduce the pain.
Inflammatory Foods
Not eating foods that cause inflammation also reduces pain. Every time I drink alcohol, I feel the pain. It’s not surprising, considering alcohol increases inflammation, and inflammation causes bone and joint diseases. Alcohol and red meat also cause gout flare-ups. Other inflammatory foods include processed food, saturated fats, and sugar. Therefore, it makes sense that inflammatory foods and drinks would aggravate the conditions.
Support Devices
Besides the above, I wear supportive devices like a knee brace.
After I had surgery for my trigger fingers, the surgeon casually mentioned it could return and that he had a patient who had surgery on all ten fingers. After hearing this, I now wear a splint that prevents my fingers from bending forward and freezing in that position. I type on an ergonomic keyboard and wear compression gloves when my hands swell. I also have hand grip strengtheners that stretch and exercise my fingers. But you don’t need to buy them; you can find exercises you can do without devices here: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/trigger-finger-exercises#finger-stretches
Radiofrequency Ablation
I’ve had radiofrequency ablation, or RFA. RFA uses radio waves to heat and destroy painful nerves, preventing the pain signal from reaching the brain. The procedure is outpatient and the doctor will insert a needle into the targeted nerves. RFA was my treatment when physical therapy and medication did not stop the sciatica pain in my lower back. Pain relief can last 3 months to a year, so the procedure may need repeating. My experience is that it has given me around 75-80% pain relief.
Tart Cherry Juice
Surprisingly, a juice reduced the pain the most. Besides vitamins and minerals, tart cherry juice contains anthocyanins which are anti-inflammatory compounds. Studies have shown that tart cherry juice can aid in muscle pain after exercise and reduce the pain felt in the knee by people with OA (https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/ways-cherry-juice-benefits-you#inflammation).
Along with the radiofrequency ablation, tart cherry juice has helped with my mobility and reduction in pain the most. Ironically, while the turmeric helps with my heel spurs, it does not decrease the pain of the sciatica, so I take them both.
Warnings about Tart Cherry Juice
While tart cherry juice has been great for reducing my pain, there are precautions you should take. First, it is high in sugar, containing 34 grams of sugar for 8 ounces. The concentrated version is around 25 grams per 1 ounce, which isn’t better.
Second, it is so sour you must mix it with water or another drink.
Third, besides the amount of carbs, tart cherry juice contains sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol. I avoid sugar-free candy because of sorbitol, which can cause abdominal gas, pain, and diarrhea for some people.
Finally, tart cherry juice can interact with blood pressure medications such as ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril) and beta-blockers (bisoprolol, carvedilol). They may also affect blood thinners, antibiotics, and corticosteroids. So, you must ask your doctor if you can take it with these medications. Also, if you are allergic to birch pollen, you may be allergic to particular cherries.
Therefore, I take the supplement form to avoid the sour taste and carbs, noticing it causes less gas.
Manage High Blood Sugar
One of the most effective remedies for a person with diabetes is always going to be to manage your blood sugar levels. High blood sugar can injure nerves throughout the body, causing pain. High blood sugar also increases inflammation, leading to painful joints and muscles.
A study led by Lund University in Sweden shows that the risk of being affected by trigger fingers increases with high blood sugar. High blood sugar increased the risk of trigger fingers among both men and women in the groups with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (Hands in people with diabetes are more often affected by trigger finger — ScienceDaily).
Other Natural Remedies May Help
You can also try the natural remedies below and see if they help.
- Bone Broth contains nutrients and collagen, which may decrease joint pain
- Omega-3 supplements such as fish oil are anti-inflammatory
Arthritis Foundation Recommendations
According to the Arthritis Foundation, almost half of adults with diabetes also have arthritis. Here are the remedies they recommend.
Cold and Hot Therapy
You can apply an ice pack on the joints to reduce swelling or a warm compress to lessen stiffness. However, avoid heat if you have an acute injury or a flare. If you have swelling and redness, use cold treatments instead.
Lose Extra Weight
A study in Arthritis Care and Research found obese adults with knee OA who lost 10–20 percent of their body weight improved pain, function, and quality of life better than those losing just five percent of their body weight.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, bone and joint issues are another diabetic complication. The pain may be overwhelming, and you may need prescription painkillers and steroid injections. However, you can also try natural remedies, such as physical therapy, using support devices, and reducing alcohol and red meat intake. You can also look into RFA. And try turmeric and tart cherry juice with your doctor’s permission.
Quotes
“My message is – keep moving. If you do, you’ll keep arthritis at bay” – Donna Mills
“Physical activity – even if you don’t lose an ounce, you’ll live longer, feel healthier, and be less likely to get cancer, heart disease, stroke, and arthritis. It’s the closest thing we have to a wonder drug” – Tom Frieden
“I take a multivitamin, I take extra C, I take chondroitin and glucosamine for my joints, I take calcium for my bones. And by the way, weight-bearing exercises can help ward off osteoporosis and yoga helps ward off arthritis” – Raquel Welch
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Disclaimer
Please remember this is not medical advice or intended to replace the advice of your doctor. This is my experience with the natural supplements that have helped me manage my diabetes. They are not intended to cure any disease. Please do not self-diagnose. Always check with your health care provider before trying new treatments.
Also, natural does not mean safe. Many natural remedies have side effects and can interact with medication and supplements. It should be noted that the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements but treats them like foods and not medication. Unlike drug manufacturers, supplement makers do not have to show their products are safe or effective.
I ask you to please keep an open mind; be a diabetic detective and do your own research; work with your healthcare team; see what works best for you, and monitor your blood sugars.