Diabetes and Back Pain

back pain

Diabetes affects millions of people around the globe, and there are many well-known complications of having this disease, such as loss of feeling in the hands and feet, kidney disease and many more. But did you know that people with diabetes are more likely to experience chronic pain, and in particular, back pain?

Most people experience back pain throughout their lives, and it is an uncomfortable experience. Diabetes can be a difficult illness to live with, so having both is not going to be fun.

A recent study has shown that those with diabetes are said to have a 35% increase of lower back pain, and a 24% increased chance of neck pain.

There are many options for treating back pain, such as those offered by progressivespine.com. It is always best to consult your doctor first, to pinpoint the cause.

What is Diabetes?

The most common types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2.

There is also gestational diabetes, LADA diabetes and MODY diabetes, below are discussed type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 is an autoimmune condition, usually seen in childhood, but not always. It manifests when, for some reason, the body starts to attack the cells within the pancreas that produce insulin.

Once insulin production has stopped, levels of glucose in the blood begin to rise very quickly which is dangerous to the patient. Type 1 diabetes usually, but not always, happens very quickly, over the matter of a few weeks.

Type 2 diabetes is when the cells within the body become resistant to insulin, and unable to utilise it effectively. So, the pancreas is still producing insulin, but the body is unable to use it to allow glucose into cells where it is needed.

As with type 1 diabetes, glucose levels in the blood begin to rise in a patient with type 2 diabetes, but it tends to be a much slower onset, sometimes people go for years before diagnosis.

Symptoms of Diabetes

The most common symptoms of diabetes are losing weight without trying to, being very thirsty all the time regardless of how much you drink, excessive and frequent urination, lack of energy and sleeping more, genital thrush and sometimes your vision can change or become blurred.

Sometimes these symptoms can appear very rapidly, as often seen with type 1. With type 2, the symptoms appear much more slowly, over many years sometimes, so you may not even notice they are happening.

What is Back Pain?

Back pain can mean pain that is located anywhere along the spine, from the cervical spine at the top all the way down to the pelvic area.

Lower back pain is the most commonly reported back pain. It is often a non-specific back pain, meaning there’s no known reason for it, and could be caused by a multitude of things, such as poor posture, or lifting something incorrectly. 

This type of back pain can often feel better or worse depending on if you are sitting or standing, and will usually get better on its own with over the counter pain relief.

Some types of back pain can need further treatment like physiotherapy, or even surgery. A doctor will be able to guide your treatment plan.

If you have back pain that doesn’t get better, or you experience severe, crippling pain, or you experience numbness or tingling in your limbs, or you experience difficulty urinating or defecating, you should contact a medical professional urgently. Recently, using CBD oils is becoming popular for treating pain. Visit HealCanal’s website here for more information and top products

Why Are People with Diabetes Experiencing More Back Pain?

Well, the link between the increased risk of back pain and diabetes has not yet been fully established.

There are some thoughts that obesity may be linked, as people with type 2 often have a higher BMI, which is linked to lower back pain, however people with a similar BMI and without diabetes had a similar risk of were included in the study, and seemed to have a similar risk.

The link is not yet known, and further studies will surely be done to establish why those with diabetes are at more risk of suffering from chronic pain.

Easing Back Pain With Physical Exercise

Usually, doctors will advise against complete rest, as they used to, for back pain. A small amount of exercise can help to keep your muscles from atrophying or seizing up.

Exercise can also be beneficial to help manage your diabetes, no matter which type you have.

If you have diabetes, back pain or both, always discuss any treatment and exercise regimes with your doctor or medical team before starting.