Diabetic Neuropathy Physical Therapy

My mother is 78 years old. She is diabetic type 2. She has pain in the thighs here. They are in the form of spasms. They are sitting, lying or trying to walk. She has been at the Kaiser emergency room three times in the last week. They gave him morphine, codeine and other drugs that do not work. Renal vascular disease? intermittent claudication? diabetic neuropathy? We received many diagnoses of radiation damage to the nerve endings of treatments against cancer complications with diabetees. Is there a pain clinic or a specialist kind. Cal. Then this pain ever be stopped? Perhaps this poor diabetic neuropathy in the legs. Can physical therapy help. Please any help would be greatly appreciated.

Intermittent claudication causes pain, spasms and cramps in the legs due to decreased blood supply. It occurs primarily by walking or exercise since the oxygen demand increases. It is caused by poor blood flow in the legs. The pain occurs in the few moments of walking and is relieved after about one minute to sit down. It is not affected by the positioning cord. The legs are cold to the touch and the pulse in the top of the foot is difficult to find, low or absent. The legs may also be discolored. A study is necessary to prevent vascular

neurogenic claudication occurs when the nerves and spinal cord are usually compressed by a narrowing of the central canal of the spinal column (where the spinal cord) or due to a narrowing of the neurforaemen where the nerves exit from the spinal cord. This condition is usually due to disc degeneration construction of calcification in the neural structures. It can also be caused by a herniated disc. People with neurogenic claudication may have it in one or both legs. These types of degenerative conditions will generally feel better when lying down or sitting, and aggravated by walking. However, they will generally feel better walking bent or leaning on something like the grocery cart, or they will feel better immediately after the meeting. This condition is also known as lumbar spinal stenosis. Back pain is usually present, but not always .. Those who have a herniated disc may feel better lying down, but worse with sitting or lying down. pedal pulse is normal under these conditions. An MRI of the spine is necessary to distinguish between spinal stenosis (degenerative type) and a herniated disc.

due to diabetes or chemotherapy can produce burning sensations in the legs (not so much cramps) neuropathy, pain, loss of sensation and is not necessarily dependent on the activity. the lumbar spine and vascular studies are usually normal.

Treatments: For intermittent claudication, angioplasty or bypass surgery of the femur is usually indicated.

For spinal stenosis, limited benefit may come from PT or modification of activity, but surgery is often indicated for a decompressive laminectomy

For diabetic neuropathy, in addition to medical care, therapy trivial (a form of physical treatment) may be beneficial ... but this is not the same success for the chemo-induced neuropathy. There is no cure for neuropathy ... it is generally managed with medications such as Neurontin.

I hope this clarifies the situation and take you to discover what tests should be performed.

It looks like a difficult problem. If she was in the ER three times last week, then she probably already seen several doctors, which is probably not something simple. Muscle spasms may be caused by a variety of things - see sources below for some ideas. The treatment depends a lot on what the underlying cause is. A neurologist may be able to help uncover what is happening, and there are many neurologists in Southern California. Good luck and I hope your mom will relieve quickly.