Have you recently been diagnosed with arthritis of the knee, or been told that you are “bone-on-bone”?

When patients are first diagnosed with osteoarthritis, it may feel overwhelming, You may be unsure of the best options to manage the painand to prevent further joint damage. And, while many are told that total knee replacement surgery is their only option for relief, there are alternatives that are important to explore before making the commitment to invasive and risky surgery.

So, does bone on bone mean eventual knee surgery? Not necessarily.

Diabetes can damage your nerves over time, making it harder for the nerves to carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. The nerve damage is called neuropathy. Those with diabetes may suffer from complications like nerve damage, which could prevent you from feeling the pain of an injury in your feet. The practitioners at Active Spine and Joint can help you take control of your neuropathy symptoms before they get worse.

With peripheral neuropathy, the cooler temperatures can make your symptoms worse. As with neuropathy, there is a lack of blood flow to the nerves in your hands and feet and this can be worsened with cold weather. When the temperature drops, your blood vessels will constrict and the result is less blood to your nerves, and less blood may mean more pain and numbness.

What can you do if the cold weather is making your neuropathy symptoms worse?