Neuropathic pain, or neuropathy, can get much worse as the temperatures get colder. Because your blood flow slows down in your extremities due to cold exposure, you tend to experience more nerve pain. Your feet and hands will most typically be affected as your circulation to those areas decreases, thereby increasing the pain you feel. Here is some information to help you deal with neuropathic pain during winter.
While it’s easy to jump the old standby of a hot cup of coffee on a cold day, it’s best to avoid any caffeinated drinks like black tea or coffee, if you’re going to do so. The more caffeine you have, the more your blood vessels will temporary become narrower, which restricts the blood going to your extremities. Since this is already happening with the cold, all you’re doing is increasing the likelihood and the severity of your nerve pain. You can always opt for decaf, or even herbal teas. Don’t forget that green tea, while it tastes light, also has caffeine in it – the lesson is, always check the labels.
Get your warmest stuff together – some thick gloves and socks, a good thick coat, a warm hat and scarf – to keep the heat in and around your extremities. This is the simplest way of preventing reduced blood flow to your extremities. This helps reduce your nerve pain and the likelihood of stiff muscles. Layer up if you can, especially on the most affected parts – your hands and your feet. You can even look into electrically heated gloves and socks that charge up via USB, making them light and portable and an effective way to stay warm while you go about your business outside.
If your neuropathic pain makes some exercises painful, talk to a doctor to find out the kind that works best for you, since exercise is a great way to stay warm in the cold, and to help increase your circulation. Light cardio exercises are a great way to start, and shouldn’t be too rough on your extremities. You can look at walking, elliptical, weight training, yoga, or even swimming in a heated pool. This will help you stretch and stay limber – anything to help reduce muscle tension, which can make the neuropathic pain much worse.
Taking a break is critical to any kind of physical activity, especially exercise. You don’t want to over-exert yourself, which will increase the likelihood of pain anyway. Get inside for a nice, warm respite from all the work you’ve been doing. This will help you restore your energy, get your blood flow going, and relax your muscles. This will help keep you recharged for the rest of your walk because you won’t be dealing with the same severity of pain you would if you’d stretched yourself too thin. Staying active is very important, but listening to your body is equally so, especially when it comes to neuropathy.
