Other Treatment

You will hear about products that promise a "cure?? for type 1 diabetes. Avoid them. No such cure exists. Also avoid products for treating diabetes that are advertised only by testimonials from satisfied customers. These products or remedies may be harmful and costly. They also might cause you to delay or avoid getting other forms of treatment that have been proved to work. If you have questions about a product for diabetes, check with your local American Diabetes Association office, your doctor, or a diabetes educator.

Complementary therapies

Other types of treatment for diabetes are provided by therapists or others who do not operate within mainstream medical practice. Their unconventional approaches may be attractive, particularly if you are not having much success with conventional medical treatments. None of these complementary therapies are proved to effectively treat diabetes.

But you may benefit from safe, nontraditional therapies that complement conventional medical treatment for your disease. Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, massage, or biofeedback, for instance, may help reduce stress, relieve muscle tension, and improve your overall well-being and quality of life.

You should not use complementary therapies alone to treat your diabetes.

Talk with your doctor if you are using the following or other complementary or alternative therapies:

• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Biofeedback
• Chiropractic therapy
• Osteopathy