Joint Pain

[LBfromTO]

Hello,
I would like to gain insight to causes, treatments and remedies of joint pain and swelling (currently wrists, elbows and shoulder).  I understand it may appear similar to what arthritis suffers experience, however, long term degeneration of joints and collagen from diabetes may be responsible for the pain and swelling.

Can the pain and swelling be reversed / averted?
Can flexibility and mobility lost from swelling be regained?
Can swelling be eliminated? - How?
Pain and discomfort / lack of sleep from pain?
Can sleeping problems from pain be overcome / averted?  
Does exercise help?
Can Diet (natural supplements) help?
Who / which medical practitioner is the best to seek for help?

I welcome anyone

[dalanabrooks]

I've been having the same problem for several years.  Look up type I diabetes and musculoskeletal problems in google.  There's several good articles.  It's often hard to communicate to your endo that the pain isn't just neuropathy.  Mine sent me to a rheumatologist and he was able to pin point what was going on.  Unfortunately, musculoskeletal problems are often overlooked and not diagnosed correctly with TID.  The symptoms often look like something else.  It's frustrating, I know.  

[paralegal]

Hi, I am just a diabetic of many years who has been through many injuries and problems with infection/inflammation mostly caused by malpractice (ugh).  So I have personal tips only.

Can the pain and swelling be reversed / averted?
Of course, this depends on the reason for the problem.  I would start reading at the library - I find the internet full of ads on subjects like this.  
Can flexibility and mobility lost from swelling be regained? Yoga is great at this.  
Can swelling be eliminated? - How? Depends on the cause.  You will need to really go back and think about when the first symptoms started.  From injuries, I have learned that it is very deceptive.  Your aches can be related to a shoulder injury - that is how pain worked when I had injuries in shoulders - first symptoms were in the wrists.  A really good place to start is a good masseuse who specializes in treating/diagnosing injuries.  Deep tissue massage might be a good place to start.  Then, my doctor told me that there are good studies where they verified over two years that Glucosamine and Chondroitin actually reduced arthritic degeneration in joints - I would suggest mix of 3 ingredients  - MSM/Glucosamine/Chondroitin just to cover bases - take it faithfully for a year or two and see what happens.  Also Yoga is wonderful for joints and many supplements help with swelling.  Try a therapeutic Yoga class like Iyengar Yoga which is very strict about positions but allows props for those who are injured - chairs, blankets, wood blocks, cushion supports.  
Pain and discomfort / lack of sleep from pain? I have been plagued by sleeplessness from injuries.  There is a problem period when the pain starts to decrease -- you get used to taking Tylenol PM or ambien and it takes a few days to adjust but with relaxations techniques it does not take too long to go off of such things.  Anyway, those help and so do things like getting up at same time each morning, warm shower before bed. I find that if I really can't sleep, eat a bowl of pasta or other carbohydrate and bam!  However, the dosage before sleeping is very tricky and I usually pay for it with high morning BG.  Again Yoga and plain old aerobic exercise work wonders - they increase endorfins (sp?) and other substances that give you a feeling of wellbeing and mask pain well for several hours.  Also, distraction works - try using a video movie to get your mind off the pain or a heat pad (that works well).  Also, check to make sure your breathing is unobstructed - use BreatheRights to increase nasal opening and, if you don't have spine problems, prop up on a pillow or two.  I found that after I became diabetic my body's response to mere inflammation - without any injury per se - was to retain water (edema is possibly the right term).  But I also find that if I do not get enough aerobic exercise, I tend to show elastic lines in my legs and swell if there is something to cause it.  So maybe your circulation needs a push by getting on the elyptical life fitness at the gym to monitor your heart rate and then go at least 15 minutes.  I find no benefit under that personally.  Hope you find some help among the list of things!
Can sleeping problems from pain be overcome / averted? See above.  Yes but it correlates directly with decreasing the pain/finding and curing the cause.  There could be something else wrong with you like organ function that is causing   the swelling, too - go get a blood workup at the doctor's office and also get a little book on harmless supplements and harmless herbs (watch out - do herbs at your peril - try a naturopath first).  Also, one other thing - In 1993 my sister, a herb nut, talked me into doing a blood/body cleansing program with the help of her naturopathic friend.  I was very wary and did it very slowly over about 4 months using tea and a moderate change in diet.  It was absolutely amazing!!  At the very end, he knew I was done when big bumps appeared in my toe and finger joints and after a week or so disappeared - the toxins tend to hide there and they are the last to get purified out of the system.  So, perhaps that would help your edema and joint pain as well as all the above.  
Does exercise help? Try a masseuse, then Yoga and then physical therapy.  
Can Diet (natural supplements) help? See above - I find that Dr. Perricone's books also have hints about what works for various bodily conditions.  Have not noticed anything about swelling but possibly there are some hints for supplements.  He believes in salmon or other cold-water ocean fish like mackerel 2-4 times a week because there is some ingredient in the wild salmon that is not found in fish oils or fresh water fish.  Take EPA supplement, conjugated linoleic acid, and try losing weight.  Drink lots of water - at least 2 quarts of purified water a day.  INventory what you do - anything repetitive?  Do you carry a heavy purse?  What is your posture like? Also what is going on up the chain in the further up joints and back?  Yoga is great - try looking at a book by Sparrow that shows anatomy and talks about posture.  It is amazing what Yoga can do to soft tissue and it can help realign  joints by working stretching and getting the connective tissues to balance their pull on the joints - even things out again because imbalance creates pressure and pain.  
Who / which medical practitioner is the best to seek for help? Like I said, start with a reputable, therapeutic masseuse and go to a physical medicine doctor or alternative type of doctor who can prescribe physical therapy regimen - most health insurnce covers this stuff.

Hope you are on the track with supplements, Yoga, massage, exercise for heart circulation, good chck up, tips about sleeping, physical therapy and weight loss program.  

[LBfromTO]

I think I neglected some information that may be helpful to those of you considering replying to my quetsion.

I have Type 1 Diabetes for 39 yrs and am 41yrs old.   Suffice it to say, I am of the mind that it is the long term effects of Diabetes which is at cause.  The pain and swelling is different than stiffness / soreness from lactic acid build up in the mussels that arise from exertion.  

Thank for your comment "sleeping beauty", however, I am not sure if or why Yoga would help. Are just suggesting something or have you experienced the same?

[sleeping beauty]

YOGA...

[JDRF-Team-wak]

I am not a physician, but a volunteer and the mom of a type one diabetic.  I saw that you amended to your question to add that you have had diabetes for a long time.  I would suggest that you contact your primary care physician; he/ she could better direct you as to what type of specialist could help.  The pain could or could not be diabetes related.  Diabetes related is usually neuropathy, which is a losing of feeling in the extremities, not usually swelling.  You might have just overworked the joints.

Long term degeneration unfortunately happens in almost all of us whether or not we have diabetes.   I personally have bad knees and have never had diabetes.

I hope this helps, Let us know what happens.