Authored by Dr Harsh Sharma, Edited and Peer Reviewed by Dr. Pooja Sharma

Published February 16, 2024, Last updated February 16, 2024

Diabetes can affect your nerves and damage them. This damage to the nerves is called diabetic neuropathy. It is most common in the nerves of your feet and legs. Since the peripheral nerves are involved in such cases, it is called peripheral neuropathy. The following 5 homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy are very effective –

1. Carbon Sulph
2. Zincum Met
3. Phosphorus
4. Secale Cor
5. Arsenic Album

Before we come to the details of the symptoms pointing to the use of these remedies, let us understand the disease a little better.

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy is the damage to the nerves of the body due to persistently high blood glucose levels. It can affect all nerves throughout the body. Diabetes can damage motor nerves as well as sensory nerves. The risk of diabetic neuropathy increases with passing time and the longer you have diabetes, more your risk. Simply speaking, blood sugar levels remaining too high for too long can damage the nerves.

What causes Diabetic Neuropathy?

The exact cause and mechanism of diabetic neuropathy is not known. Certain important contributory factors are as follows-

• High blood sugar – Sustained high blood sugar levels for a long time tend to cause damage to the nerves. Increased blood glucose level causes chemical changes in the nerves and dampens their ability to transmit nerve signals to brain and from brain to various body parts.
• Damage to blood vessels – Diabetes damages the blood vessels and this leads to decreased oxygen supply to various body parts and muscles.
• Lipids – High cholesterol and triglycerides which often increase in diabetes can also damage the nerves.
• Obesity – Being overweight also tends to increase the damage to the nerves.
• Smoking – Smoking further increases the damage to the nerves and increases chances of diabetic neuropathy.

Types of diabetic neuropathy

There are mainly 4 types of diabetic neuropathy-

1. Peripheral Neuropathy – Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is by far the most common form of neuropathy. It affects mainly the nerves of the feet and legs, though it can also affect the arms or hands. The common symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy are tingling in the feet, numbness, sensitivity to touch and muscle weakness. Diabetic neuropathy patients often do not feel pain in the feet when their feet get injured or burnt.

2. Autonomic Neuropathy – The autonomic nervous system is the one on which we don’t have conscious control. This includes the heart, the digestive system, libido and the sweat glands. Diabetic neuropathy can damage the autonomic nervous system too. This can lead to slowing down of the digestive system, constipation, palpitations, erectile dysfunction, lack of libido, vertigo, shortness of breath and increased sweating.

3. Proximal neuropathy – This type of neuropathy is also known as diabetic amyotrophy. It is more common in men above 50 years of age. This can happen even in those who have fairly good control of their blood glucose. It affects hips, buttocks, thighs or legs. There may be sudden pain in your lower limbs. This pain can be quite severe at times, making it even difficult to stand. It usually affects one side of the body.

4. Focal neuropathy – It affects mainly one nerve or group of nerves of the body. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common example of such focal neuropathy. Such symptoms often get better after some time.

Symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy

Although symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy differ according to the type of the neuropathy, the main symptoms are as follows-

• Tingling sensation in the toes and feet
• Numbness of the toes and feet
• Sensitivity to touch which seems extraordinarily increased
• Severe pain in the toes and feet
• Weakness of the lower limbs
• Pain in buttocks, thighs or legs
• Loss of thigh muscles
• Loss of balance and coordination while walking
• Foot drop
• Difficulty in rising from a sitting position
• One sided facial paralysis
• Vision disturbance like double vision
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Change in normal sweating pattern
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Slowing digestion
• Bloating, heartburn and nausea
• Constipation
• Palpitations
• Erectile dysfunction in men
• Vaginal dryness in women

Homeopathic treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy

There is a very common perception that diabetic neuropathy is progressive and it cannot be stopped. This is not true. Diabetic neuropathy can be treated with homeopathy just like any other disease. The only thing that you should make sure is that blood glucose levels should remain within the acceptable range. For this it is very important that you should follow a regular exercise routine.

Management of Blood Glucose levels by maintaining muscle mass

All muscles of the body need exercise so that they do not atrophy over time. Human beings start losing 1% of their muscle mass every year as they cross the age of 40. Therefore, it is necessary that you follow a routine in which all muscles of the body, more so that of your back, abdomen and thighs which have the biggest muscles, get enough exercise at least twice a week. Strength and resistance training have a very important part in maintaining muscle mass. Therefore, you should not just rely on walk alone. A combination of strength and resistance training along with gentle stretching as in Yoga goes a long way in maintaining good muscle mass as well as flexibility of the body. So you can do Yoga three days a week and exercise three days a week.

5 best Homeopathic medicines for Diabetic Neuropathy

1. Carbon Sulph – One of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy with unsteady gait

2. Zincum Met – One of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy with fidgety feet

3. Phosphorus – One of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy with ascending sensory paralysis

4. Secale Cor – One of the best homeopathic remedies for diabetic neuropathy with icy coldness of extremities

5. Arsenic Album- One of the best homeopathic remedies for diabetic neuropathy with burning pains

I am giving a few indicative symptoms of the above mentioned medicines for your benefit. It is not possible to give a detailed symptomatology of all the medicines as it will be too time consuming and will only end up confusing you. These are just indicative symptoms and by no means exhaustive.

1. Carbon Sulph – One of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy with unsteady gait

When unsteady gait is a prominent symptom, Carbon Sulph is one of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy. The patient totters and is worse in the dark. The feet and the fingers remain insensible. There is lightning like pain in the lower limbs, with cramps and formication. The limbs remain sore and bruised.

2. Zincum Met – One of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy with fidgety feet

When the feet are constantly fidgety, Zincum Met is one of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy. The patient is restless and cannot keep still. The feet remain in constant motion. There is weakness, trembling and twitching of the various muscles. Soles of feet are sensitive and the patient keeps the whole foot on the floor, so as to avoid pressure on any one area.

3. Phosphorus – One of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy with ascending sensory paralysis

When there is ascending sensory paralysis, Phosphorus is one of the best homeopathic medicines for diabetic neuropathy. There is numbness in the toes of the feet. Slowly, this numbness spreads upwards. The patient is usually tall and thin. Increased thirst for ice cold water is another prominent symptom indicating this remedy. There is weakness and trembling and the patient is hardly able to hold anything with his hands.

4. Secale Cor – One of the best homeopathic remedies for diabetic neuropathy with icy coldness of extremities

When there is icy coldness of extremities, Secale Cor is one of the best homeopathic remedies for diabetic neuropathy. The interesting part is that the patient does not like to cover the parts even when they are icy cold. There is shriveling and numbness of the toes and fingers. There is pain and spasmodic movement of the limbs. Tingling in toes is another common symptom. Formication under the skin is present. The skin is often blue.

5. Arsenic Album- One of the best homeopathic remedies for diabetic neuropathy with burning pains

When there are burning pains in the feet and hands, Arsenic Album is one of the best homeopathic remedies for diabetic neuropathy. The burning is uncharacteristically better by application of warmth. Ulcers may form on the feet. The lower limbs atrophy. There is lot of anxiety and restlessness. Thirst is increased though the patient drinks a little at a time. The slightest exertion causes weakness and total exhaustion.