HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

Diabetic nephropathy is a serious kidney-related complication of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. It is also called diabetic kidney disease. Up to 40 percent of people with diabetes eventually develop kidney disease.

Diabetic nephropathy affects the ability of your kidneys to do their usual work of removing waste products and extra fluid from your body. The best way to prevent or delay diabetic nephropathy is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and treating your diabetes and high blood pressure.

Over many years, the condition slowly damages your kidneys' delicate filtering system. Early treatment may prevent or slow disease progression and reduce the chance of complications.

Your kidney disease may progress to kidney failure, also called end-stage kidney disease. Kidney failure is a life-threatening condition.

Causes-Diabetic nephropathy results when diabetes damages blood vessels and other cells in your kidneys.

How the kidneys work

Your kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) that filter waste from your blood. Severe damage to these blood vessels can lead to diabetic nephropathy, decreased kidney function and kidney failure.

Diabetic nephropathy causes

Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes, types 1 and 2.

Over time the high blood sugar associated with untreated diabetes causes high blood pressure. This in turn damages the kidneys by increasing the pressure in the delicate filtering system of the kidneys.

Symptoms--In the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, you may not notice any signs or symptoms. In later stages, the signs and symptoms include:

·         Worsening blood pressure control

·         Protein in the urine

·         Swelling of feet, ankles, hands or eyes

·         Increased need to urinate

·         Less need for insulin or diabetes medicine

·         Confusion or difficulty concentrating

·         Loss of appetite

·         Nausea and vomiting

·         Persistent itching

·         Fatigue

Risk factors--Several factors may increase your risk of diabetic nephropathy, including:

·         Diabetes, type 1 or 2

·         High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) that's difficult to control

·         High blood pressure (hypertension) that's difficult to control

·         Being a smoker and having diabetes

·         High blood cholesterol and having diabetes

·         A family history of diabetes and kidney disease

Complications--Complications of diabetic nephropathy may develop gradually over months or years. They may include:

·         Fluid retention, which could lead to swelling in your arms and legs, high blood pressure, or fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema)

·         A sudden rise in potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia)

·         Heart and blood vessel disease (cardiovascular disease), possibly leading to stroke

·         Damage to the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy)

·         Anemia

·         Foot sores, erectile dysfunction, diarrhea and other problems related to damaged nerves and blood vessels

·         Pregnancy complications that carry risks for the mother and the developing fetus

·         Irreversible damage to your kidneys (end-stage kidney disease), eventually requiring either dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Well selected Homoeopathic remedies are effective for the management of diabetes nephropathy. Some of the important remedies are given below-

LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM 30—Lycopodium is an effective remedy for diabetic nephropathy. Urine scanty , cries before urinating, red sand in urine, must strain, suppressed or retained. Urine milky and turbid. Sometimes haematuria . Urine is burning and hot. The right kidney is mainly affected. The patient experiences impotency.The patient likes warm food and drink, also there is intense craving for sweets.

SERUM ANGUILLAE 6X—Serum Anguilae is one of the best remedies for diabetes nephropathy. It is very effective in acute nephritis. Kidney failure. It is prescribed when hypertension and oliguria without oedema is present. Urine contains albumin.

ARALIA HISPIDA 30-Aralia hispida is found to be effective for diabetes nephropathy. There is dropsy of renal origin. Urinary tract infection is present. Urine is scanty leading to complete suppression of urine. Renal diseases with constipation.

AMPELOPSIS QUINQUEFOLIA 30- Ampelopsis quinquefolia is another effective remedy for diabetes nephropathy. There is uraemia or uremic coma. Vomiting, purging, tenesmus , cold sweat and collapse are the leading symptoms. 

CUPRUM ARSENITUM 3x-Cuprum ars is also a very effective remedy for diabetes nephropathy. There is kidney inefficiency and uremia. The urine smell like garlic. Urine of high specific gravity increased, acetones and diacetic acid.

CUPRUM ACETICUM 3X- In Cuprum aceticum the tongue is pale , coated with lot of mucus. Anemia. Pulse rapid. The patient is chilly. Breathlessness with dry cough. Cannot eat or drink without retching.

ARSENICUM ALBUM- 30-Arsenic alb. Is also an effective remedy for diabetes nephropathy. Urine is scanty, burning when urinating. Albuminuria. Epithelial cells, cylindrical clots of fibrin and globules of pus and blood in urine. Feeling weakness in abdomen after urination. Retention of urine. Urine black as if mixed with dung.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR DIABETIC FOOT

If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar , levels are too high. Over time, this can damage your nerves or blood vessels. Nerve damage from diabetes can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. You may not feel a cut, a blister or a sore. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers and infections. Serious cases may even lead to amputation. Damage to the blood vessels can also mean that your feet do not get enough blood and oxygen. It is harder for your foot to heal, if you do get a sore or infection.

You can help avoid foot problems. First, control your blood sugar levels. Good foot hygiene is also crucial:-Check your feet every day,Wash your feet every day, Keep the skin soft and smooth, Smooth corns and calluses gently,If you can see, reach, and feel your feet, trim your toenails regularly. If you cannot, ask a foot doctor (podiatrist) to trim them for you.,Wear shoes and socks at all times,Protect your feet from hot and cold, Keep the blood flowing to your feet

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

SECALE COR 30- An excellent remedy for diabetic gangrene . Dry gangrene of toe. Dusky blue tinge. Skin feels cold to touch yet covering not tolerated. Warmth aggravation

ARSENICUM ALBUM 30- Diabetic gangrene. Burning and soreness , relieved by warmth. Fetid smell from the wound.  Restlessness.

APIS MELLIFICA 30-Spreading cellulitis with burning stinging pain. Sensitive. Blebs are seen

ANTIMONIUM CRUDUM 30- Callosities are seen. Dry gangrene

CARBO VEGETABIS 30- Carbuncles and boils  becomes gangrenous. Wet , purple and icy cold gangrene.Moist gangrene. There is great prostration

HEPAR SULPH 30- Blebs are seen. Very sensitive to touch

LACHESIS 200-Bluish purple surroundings around gangrene. Traumatic

RHUS TOX 30- Spreading cellulitis

SULPHURIC ACID-30- Blue and purple surroundings of the gangrene. Bleeding under the skin

THIOSINAMINUM 30-Specific for callosities. Dry gangrene

TARENTULA CUB 30- Painful and inflamed abscess with a tendency to gangrene

ECHINACEA Q- Emitting a foul smell from gangrene . 5 drops in a little of water every 2 hours . Externally wash with a Echinacea lotion. It  act as a cleaning and antiseptic agent.

Pupillometer Can Detect Diabetic Neuropathy

Today's post from sciencedaily.com (see link below) may be related to a recent post, offering studies of the cornea being a reliable future way of diagnosing neuropathy. Once again, it concentrates on diabetic neuropathy and it's not clear if the same device can detect all forms of autonomic neuropathy or not but seeing as it will only be available sometime in the next ten years, all will undoubtedly eventually become clear. Certainly an interesting development. How long before Google can detect all diseases via the Google Glass!!

Wearable device for early detection of common diabetes-related neurological condition
Date:
July 28, 2014
Source:
The Optical Society
 
Summary:

Thanks to a small, wearable device that can hang on a pair of eyeglasses, a common complication of diabetes may get caught sooner. Researchers have developed a pupillometer that scans the patient's eyes for early signs of diabetic autonomic neuropathy -- a condition that progressively affects the autonomic nerves controlling vital organs. This kind of early detection enables early treatment, leading to far better health outcomes for the patient.

A group of researchers in Taiwan has developed a new optical technology that may be able to detect an early complication of diabetes sooner, when it is more easily treated. If the device proves safe and effective in clinical trials, it may pave the way for the early detection and more effective treatment of this complication, called diabetic autonomic neuropathy, which is common among people with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The condition progressively affects the autonomic nerves controlling vital organs like the heart and gastrointestinal system. This can lead to problems like fainting, incontinence, nausea, heart arrhythmias and an increased risk of bacterial infection.

Described in a paper published in The Optical Society (OSA)'s journal Applied Optics, the new technology is a small, wearable device called a pupillometer that can hang on a pair of eyeglasses and only weighs 78 grams, slightly heavier than Google Glass. Developed by a team at National Taiwan University Hospital, Hsin Chu branch and National Chiao-Tung University, the device is designed to be worn for a half hour or so in the doctor's office, during which time it would monitor a person's pupils. By carefully measuring five parameters associated with the pupils, doctors may then be able to detect the earliest signs of diabetic autonomic neuropathy.

Detecting someone's asymptomatic diabetic autonomic neuropathy early and treating it properly may lead to far better health outcomes for them. Currently the condition is often not detected until moderate nerve damage and organ dysfunction are present.

Currently doctors rely on observing changes in digestive speed, heart rate and blood pressure to detect diabetic autonomic neuropathy, but this limits their ability to make a diagnosis early on, said Mang Ou-Yang, who led the research with colleagues at National Chiao-Tung University. Now they have shown that monitoring the pupils of people with diabetes may be a better approach.

"Compared to the existing diagnostic techniques, the pupillometer is a more reliable, effective, portable and inexpensive solution for diagnosing diabetic autonomic neuropathy in its early stages," said Ou-Yang.

The pupil is useful for detecting diabetic autonomic neuropathy due to the neurological conditions caused by the disease. Like many organs, the eyes and pupil are dually innervated, receiving signals from both the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system. These divisions control the pupil's circular and radial muscles, respectively.

The pupillometer, which is small enough to be mounted onto the front of a pair of glasses, works by emitting four colored lights to stimulate the pupil. A beam splitter attached to the device then filters the visible light that is reflected from the eye to the device's camera, which processes the images to analyze the pupil's size.

The device measures 10 parameters related to pupil diameter and response time. Of those 10, the researchers found that five parameters were significantly different in people with diabetic autonomic neuropathy.

Ou-Yang says if clinical trials are successful, the pupillometer could be available by the end of the decade.

Future research for Ou-Yang and his lab includes scaling down the size of the device, expanding the device's capabilities to observe two pupils simultaneously and collecting more experimental results from diabetic patients.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by The Optical Society. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Mei-Lan Ko, Yin-Yuan Chen, Yuan Ouyang, Ting-Wei Huang, Bi-Shiou Tsuen, Wei-De Jeng, Jin-Chern Chiou, Mang Ou-Yang. Design and analysis of wearable pupillometer for autonomic neuropathy of diabetic patients. Applied Optics, 2014; 53 (29): H27 DOI: 10.1364/AO.53.000H27

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140728094449.htm

My Diabetic Neuropathy A Personal Account

Today's post from kerrykobashi.com (see link below) talks about his discovery that his diabetes had led to neuropathy and how he felt about that realisation. It's always interesting to read about other people's personal experiences with neuropathy because it helps us put our own into perspective. Whatever the cause of your neuropathy, I'm sure you will recognise elements of this story.

I Got Diabetic Neuropathy.
Published on September 18th, 2014 | by Kerry Kobashi 
 
For the past 4 months I’ve noticed my body screaming out in pain during the night. When lying down in bed, I have been getting harsh, quick prick like pain in my thighs, legs, and toes. Sometimes, I get it in my hands and arms but on less occasion. They come randomly, and when they hit, it freaking hurts.

During the day, when I walk, my legs and thighs would get really weak, sore and tired. Looking at myself physically in the mirror, I look in good shape. But, there is a noticeable problem of atrophy in my thighs and legs. The muscle mass is missing.

Earlier today, I went to see a neurologist and described to him my symptoms. As we talked about my situation, he basically sat there in his chair typing into a computer everything I was saying. Strangely, he never came to any conclusion what I may have. I mean, I did tell him and write on the patient information sheet that I am diabetic.

Now mind you, I was waiting during the entire office visit for him to recommend a drug to help me with my immediate pain. Yes, you know I’m in pain! Instead, the doctor wants me to go through tests including MRI LS Spine scan, and an EMG/NCV on my legs. The MRI I am to get within the next two weeks and the electro tests on my next office visit which is in two weeks.

But Doc, I’m in freaking pain!

Now, I had seen on a television commercial about a month ago a prescription drug called Lyrica. It is used to treat muscle and nerve pain caused by diabetes. I asked him about it. He responded that he will prescribe GabaPentin instead.

Late tonight, I did a little Internet research. I’m pretty sure that I have diabetic neuropathy. This is basically my nerves being damaged from high blood sugar levels from diabetes. This got me thinking. The Mayo Clinic says there is no cure for diabetic neuropathy. The only ways to make the patient feel better is to reduce the blood glucose levels by eating right and getting regular exercise. That, and prescription drugs like GabaPentin.

So I basically see no point in an MRI scan or a very painful electromyogram test where they stick electrodes on my body, insert a 2 foot long needle into my leg, and turn on the electricity (cringe). I already know what I got and its diabetic related.

Let’s see if GabaPentin (Neurontin) gets rid of the pain. I figure its going to take a few weeks to get into my system. I’ll update this post as time passes to give you, the reader, an idea of what I’m going through. I will also from time to time, write about the idea of eating foods with a low glycemic index. Talk about the index, post diabetic food recipes, exercise ideas, and tools to assist diabetics like myself.

Diabetes sucks. Let’s get through it successfully together.

http://kerrykobashi.com/life/got-diabetic-neuropathy

CHOLESTEROL DRUG MAY BENEFIT DIABETIC WOMEN

Australian researchers have found that a cholesterol-lowering drug can lower cardiovascular disease risks by 30 percent in women with type-2 diabetes.

The five-year study of nearly 10,000 people with type-2 diabetes also assessed the drug fenofibrate’s impact on a range of lipoproteins and triglycerides (circulating blood fats) that elevate the risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack.

They found that among type-2 diabetic patients with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, fenofibrate cut adverse cardiovascular outcomes by 30 percent in women and 24 percent in men.

“The finding is good news for women. The study shows that fenofibrate reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, or having a stroke or other adverse cardiovascular event more in women,” said Tony Keech from University of Sydney.

Fenofibrate stimulates the action of an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins.

Stimulating this enzyme increases the breakdown of triglycerides (another type of blood lipid) and low-density lipoproteins in the bloodstream and raises HDL cholesterol.

“Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in women, almost three times more common than breast cancer,” said study’s lead author Michael d’Emden from Royal Brisbane Hospital.

The study appeared in the journal Diabetologia