Can Compression Therapy Help People With Diabetes?
Yes, compression therapy can benefit people with diabetes. It is a painless, easy and effective technology that helps replace traditional therapies that may be recommended for people with diabetes, like compression socks. Compression socks can reduce swelling, but at the same time, they limit blood flow to the feet, slowing wound healing and even potentially making foot injuries worse.
What do Real Diabetes Patients Say?
A patient with Type 2 diabetes who struggled for a long time using compression socks said, “So much has changed in just a short time using NormaTec compression technology.” NormaTec compression boots were comfortable and easy to use, she said, adding that “I’ve got much less cramping, and I was getting water in my legs. Now it is controlled!”
This patient is just one person with diabetes who has used compression therapy to help reduce or improve conditions like swollen limbs, non-healing wounds, and other circulation disorders. NormaTec says that nationwide, thousands of people with Type 2 diabetes have used pneumatic medicine/compression therapy. They have received hundreds of testimonials from diabetics documenting benefits that include decreased limb swelling, reduced pain, and improved ability to walk.
What is Compression Therapy?
NormaTec compression technology is also called pneumatic medicine. The technology provides dynamic external compression through inflatable boots or sleeves. Therapeutic compression is usually done for about an hour each day, with boots or sleeves that are used on either legs or arms. During the process, the boots or sleeves are rhythmically inflated and deflated.
Helping to Reduce Serious Diabetes Risks
Slow-healing or non-healing wounds are two of the most serious risks with diabetes. Wounds heal more slowly because the vessels of your feet and legs harden and narrow, particularly with peripheral artery disease (PAD) or related problems. The injuries can occur in the first place due to conditions like neuropathy or loss of feeling in your limbs. Using compression therapy to improve circulation can help the healing process for diabetic wounds.
Every diabetes patient fears one of the most serious diabetic risks of all: amputation. The American Diabetes Association advises diabetes patients to take good care of their feet, especially caring for ulcers and other foot problems that can lead to an amputation. Compression therapy can help to improve nearly every factor that can cause foot ulcers and risk of amputation, from peripheral artery disease (PAD) to neuropathy or tissue swelling.
