As most of you know I am a diabetic and I have nerve damage in my legs. This is a very painful thing for those of you who do not experience it. A lot of people call this fiber neuropathy! When I first started on my journey to become more healthy my legs were dark purple with black blotches that would become infected and would not heal. At the time I did not know this was due to my diabetes and the fact that my circulation was really really bad. It was so bad that my nerves were dying in my feet and legs. As I researched I found out different things about my diabetes and about circulation and nerve damage. That is what this is about!
Most of the time doctors when they first diagnose fiber neuropathy they don’t know what the causes and they call it idiopathic! But the condition, which is characterized by nerve damage to the fibers responsible for Autonomous actions within the body are damaged, can often be a result of diabetes possibly as a result of poor circulation which can occur with the diabetes, although this is speculative and the relationship between diabetes and nerve damage is still largely unknown. Small fiber neuropathy he is a condition that is part of a larger common condition known as peripheral neuropathy!
According to the mayo clinic, peripheral neuropathy he is a condition that is caused from illness, infection, or injury most commonly and results in damage to nerves! The condition affects multiple types of nervous with in the body including those that controls heart rate and keep blood pressure regulated. When these nerves are damaged it is possible for circulation to be adversely affected! In no condition is this more evident been in the case of diabetic neuropathy, where are nerve damage that results in decreased blood flow can be so extreme that it can result in serious tissue damage that can lead to serious consequences including lots of limbs to be an amputation due to tissue death and gangrene. This is the type of damage that I have in my legs. Although I have gotten my diabetes mostly under control due to my diet (Way I choose to eat)!
Diabetes is one of the most common poor circulation causes and the at most often affects the lower extremities including the feet and legs were circulation efforts are already challenged as a result of the natural force of gravity and the bodies monumental task of getting blood from this area back to the heart. Truck drivers because they are paid to sits behind the wheel all day have it even harder because of the fact that they do not get the proper exercise to help the blood flow. There are exercises that you can do as a truck driver to help your body out. You can do stretches in the morning when you first get up out of the bunk which will help your blood circulate. For example you can lay in your bunk and act like you are writing a bicycle upside down some people call this the air bicycle this helps the blood circulate through your Lower extremities and get the blood flowing! There are many other exercises and stretches that you can do. We will talk more about that in another blog!
Cold hands and feet, are more often than not conditions of Raynaud’s disease, which affects the blood vessels in your hands and your fingers. Some conditions of this disease include color changes to the hands and fingers with them changing to blue from white in response to certain stimuli like exposure to cold and stress as well. Cold hands can also be contributed to circulatory problems and win the nerves that affect the body’s blood pumping system are affected! Hand circulation can be impacted by small fiber neuropathy, but it is also potentially regulated to certain conditions such as carpal Connell syndrome which is swelling of the membranes that enclose the tendons in your hand which puts pressure on the nerves that help circulatory function!
As I’ve done the research I realize that there’s a big difference between circulation and nerve damage. Although circulation can cause nerve damage. The way you can tell the difference is by looking at your legs and see if they are purple for purplish colored or if they are skin tone?! If they are purplish that’s a circulation problem but if they are stinging and your feet toes leg area or you have a numbing sensation that is most likely nerve damage and I would suggest you go to see the doctor to see how bad it is.
There are things you can do to stop all this from happening! You do not have to be like me dear reader, I have permanent nerve damage to my feet and my legs and they staying in pain every day. I am truly blessed because I Decided to take control and start eating right and getting the proper nutrition so I will never repair the nerve damage but I can keep it from getting worse. You have the same options.
If you were wanting help with your diet, meal prepping, health coaching and just support in getting yourself healthy please feel free to get in touch! It is not that hard to do and it’s much cheaper than you think. Or you can be like I was and wait till it’s almost too late or it may be too late. I’m blessed because I have the opportunity to teach others what I went through! And I’ll scream it from the mountain tops and tell people listen because of the fact that I got a second chance to impact others lives for the better.
As always if you want to track yourself and be accountable, you can track everything from your moods, sleep habits, water intake, calorie intake, stress level and much more.