Finding Relief For Neuropathy

Neuropathy is an umbrella term that describes damage to the peripheral nerves in the body. When damaged, these nerves cause pain, weakness, numbness and tingling in various parts of the body, especially in the feet and ankles. Nerve compression can also trigger neuropathic symptoms and disrupt your everyday life, including walking and sleeping. Chiropractic care, massage therapy, electrostimulation and inflammation injections are some of the most common ways to relieve this pain. Find out what other options are available for you to eliminate your neuropathic pain and improve your life!

What Is Neuropathy?

Nerve pain is the most common sign of neuropathy, which develops when the peripheral nervous system is damaged or has some type of defect. Neuropathy most often presents itself in the form of numbness and tingling in the extremities, especially the hands and feet. Patients can also suffer from foot and ankle pain, limited range of motion, muscle weakness, headaches and stiffness, which all make daily life much more arduous. There are three main types of neuropathy: polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, and multiple mononeuropathy. Polyneuropathy is nerve pain that develops whenever most or all of the nerves are affected, while mononeuropathy describes the case when a single nerve is damaged, as with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Multiple mononeuropathy involves damage to two separate nerves at the same time, but no more than that. Each form of neuropathy is difficult to live with and makes even simple movements hard to perform. Some of them cause constant inflammation while others only appear after you sit a certain way or exercise. Although they each share similar symptoms, polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy and multiple mononeuropathy each develop under certain situations or stimulating events. Understanding how your neuropathic symptoms developed is an important step in learning how to treat them.

Causes of Neuropathy

Neuropathy is caused by a number of conditions, but 30% of all cases of neuropathic pain are idiopathic, meaning that they have no clear cause. However, there are certain conditions that increase your likelihood of experiencing neuropathy, such as alcoholism and exposure to toxins or heavy metals. Specific autoimmune diseases, like Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, all affect the nerves in the body and so do certain infections, like Lyme disease, HIV and hepatitis B and C. Diabetes is another contributor of neuropathy, with nearly half of diabetic patients in the world suffering from some form of it. Tumors can increase your likelihood of experiencing neuropathic pain, as well, since they put pressure on nerves, but these aren’t as common. Vitamin B deficiencies are also linked to neuropathy, but these cases are easily remedied with nutritional changes in your diet. Even liver and kidney problems can damage nerves and cause pain, as well as an underactive thyroid.

Whether your neuropathy is caused by a nutritional imbalance or a chronic medical condition, there are multiple treatment options that can heal your nerves and eliminate pain. Some patients will have permanent or severe damage to their nerves that will require specific treatments to overcome, while others will only need occasional care to keep their symptoms at bay.

Treatment Options

Prevention is the best form of treatment, so do all that you can to keep your body healthy to prevent neuropathy from developing in the first place. Avoiding activities that put pressure on your nerves, including repetitive motions, will prevent damage and injury. Limiting how much you smoke or drink alcohol will also keep the nerve linings healthy and strong. Make sure that you’re eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein so that you are getting sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals, like B-12. If approved by your doctor, try to exercise 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes to keep your body (and nerves) moving and active.

If you do need treatment for neuropathy, ask about High Frequency LED treatment, which uses light therapy to increase microcirculation, release nitric acid from red blood cells and help nerves heal naturally. You can also opt for deep vibration therapy that is applied to the feet to stimulate and activate the nerves there. A neuromuscular re-education program is also available to active the nerves in your body with the use of high-tech equipment, or you can use functional neuropathy treatment which is functional therapy for the brain and nervous system. For those suffering from chronic neuropathy, electrostimulation and massage therapy are highly effective at keeping symptoms under control without the use of medication. Chiropractic care and inflammation injections are also used for most cases of neuropathy and are highly effective at reducing pain.

Find Relief For Neuropathy With Our Help!

At Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center, we offer a variety of nerve pain treatments that will naturally heal your neuropathic symptoms and get you back on your feet again. We create specialized treatment plans for our patients suffering from neuropathy, and we can ensure that you will experience less pain as you begin treatment with us. Call our office today at (512) 806-0015 to schedule a consultation and get your health back!