Diabetes Affects the Musculoskeletal System

I’ve had neck spurs, plantar fasciitis (heel spurs), trigger finger, and now I have arthritis. 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 and joints. It also includes muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Diabetes can cause bone and joint disorders. As a result, you can have muscle pain, joint pain, swelling, and restricted flexibility.

How Diabetes Affects the Musculoskeletal System

Nerve damage, arterial disease, obesity, and high blood sugar contribute to bone and joint disorders. Uncontrolled diabetes can affect joints and muscles, leading to pain.

NSAIDs and Prescription Medicine

A new 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.

My doctor diagnosed me with knee arthritis and prescribed Meloxicam. I have to admit I was secretly happy it 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 found a ton of them.

Besides prescribed 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

Four things 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 is an ointment of Frankincense (Boswellia) and Myrrh. Because they are anti-inflammatory, they ease nerve pain.

Second, I use turmeric supplements. I definitely 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.

Third, exercising helps 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 should focus on low-impact exercises like walking, cycling, or swimming.

A study published in Wiley Online Library noted walking could ease the pain for those with knee osteoarthritis. Out of 1212 participants, knee pain was reduced 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 use 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.

The fourth and most useful thing to help was what I drank, or rather, what I stopped drinking. I had an “a-ha” moment when I realized the pain in my knee did not hurt as much. Being a diabetic detective, I asked myself what I had done differently. Then I realized my reduced pain is because of the healthier drink choices I made. A few months ago, I decided I would reduce my alcohol intake, drink more water, and stop drinking soda made with artificial sweeteners. While studies reveal artificial sweeteners increase inflammation, I believe cutting down on alcohol is what helped my arthritis. To test the theory, I drank wine and my knee started hurting almost immediately. This is not surprising, considering alcohol causes inflammation and inflammation causes the most bone and joint diseases. Therefore, it makes sense that inflammatory foods and drinks would aggravate the conditions.

Support Devices

Besides the above, I also wear supportive devices, such as 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, now I 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

Manage High Blood Sugar

The most useful remedy as a diabetic is always going to be to manage your blood sugar levels.

A study led by Lund University in Sweden shows that the risk of being affected by trigger finger increases with high blood sugar. High blood sugar increased the risk of trigger finger among both men and women in the groups with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The research also noted a pattern of blood sugar is a crucial factor for an increased risk of having trigger finger (Hands in people with diabetes 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 glucosamine and chondroitin, which are natural compounds found in cartilage and can decrease joint pain
• Omega-3 supplements such as fish oil, which are anti-inflammatory
• A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and limiting inflammatory foods such as red meat, processed food, saturated fats, alcohol, and sugar

Arthritis Foundation Recommendations

According to the Arthritis Foundation, almost half of adults with diabetes also have arthritis.

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, there are also natural remedies you can try, such as physical therapy, stretching, using support devices, and reducing alcohol intake. You can also try turmeric, 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.