Neuropathy Treatments

Neuropathy treatments are available to help sufferers of this condition deal with the symptoms, but can they also compensate for complications and impacts on your lifestyle?

Neuropathy involves damage sustained to the network of nerves connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body’s parts. In other words, it is a serious condition that deserves attention as quickly as possible.

The elements of the central nervous system each have important roles, and neuropathy can interfere with their ability to do their jobs. Communication between the brain and other parts of the body becomes distorted by this condition. In turn, this can cause a whole host of unpleasant — and possibly dangerous — symptoms. Complications from neuropathy can have debilitating effects on your quality of life.

What Causes Neuropathy?

Neuropathy can result from many different causes, which can be hereditary or acquired over the course of a patient’s life. Hereditary neuropathy typically occurs as a result of CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth) disease, which can manifest itself as an affliction of motor as well as sensory nerves. CMT leads to weakness in leg muscles, and also includes deformities in the feet. These factors combine to make walking and maintaining balance difficult. Over time, CMT can also impact the muscles of the hands as well. Unfortunately, there is no known cure within conventional circles for hereditary neuropathy.

Unlike neuropathy as a result of genetics, acquired neuropathy tends to be much more common. Some of the causes of neuropathy developing after birth include:

• Medications and toxic substances — Stronger varieties of medicine, such as those used in chemotherapy, can damage nerves and eventually lead to neuropathy. Toxic materials, like mercury and lead, can also have a negative impact on nerve function if a person suffers exposure to them.
• Severe trauma — A bad fall, car accident or sports-related injury can lead to damage of the nerves. Repetitive stress can also lead to neuropathy due to ongoing nerve compression.
• Vascular issues — If blood flow to your arms and legs becomes compromised by vessel disorders like blood clots or inflammation, the lack of oxygen reaching nerve cells can damage or even kill nerves.
• Certain diseases — Illnesses that affect the entire body can lead to neuropathy. These afflictions include kidney disorders, imbalanced hormones, certain types of cancer and diabetes.
• Poor nutrition — Proper levels of vitamins help to maintain good nerve function. Eating properly is therefore important, but alcohol can also be a contributing factor. Abuse of the substance can lead to reduced levels of essential nutrients in the body, which can lead to symptoms of neuropathy in the arms and legs.
• Autoimmune disorders and certain infections — There are types of bacteria and germs that can directly damage nerve fibers. These include those responsible for causing Lyme disease. Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis can also have a harmful impact on nerve tissue.

The Impact of Neuropathy Symptoms on a Person’s Lifestyle

The symptoms neuropathy patients will experience depend on the nature of the condition. Which nerves suffered damage, as well as the number, will affect the symptoms and complications that arise from the disorder. However, some elements are common throughout most instances of neuropathy. Pain and numbness are a frequent complaint of sufferers, and the earliest signs of nerve damage can include a tingling sensation in a person’s arms and legs. At first, the feeling might occur only in the toes and feet, but it can spread over time.

More serious than this is the deeper numbness that might occur. This can be a very dangerous symptom, given that it limits your awareness of your environment. For example, if you are unable to feel your feet or hands, you might not notice if you hurt yourself by touching something hot or stepping on something sharp. This numbness can also impact your mobility, as it will become difficult to maintain your balance and feel where your feet are as you move.

Your muscles can also fall victim to neuropathy. Nerve damage makes it harder to control them, and weakness is a common consequence. Patients suffering from this symptom can have difficulty moving certain parts of their bodies. In some cases, their legs prove incapable of supporting their weight. As a result, falling becomes more common. Even simple tasks like buttoning up a shirt or tying shoelaces can become a challenge if the condition impacts the nerves in your hands.

The Treatments Typically Utilized for Neuropathy

In most cases, conventional medicine hasn’t proven capable of curing neuropathy. For cases based on hormone or nutrition issues, the prognosis is better, but the focus of neuropathy treatment is mainly on managing symptoms. This priority on controlling complications makes sense, given the impact this condition has on a person’s quality of life.

At the same time, there are limits to what medications can accomplish. Prescribed medicines are typically used to control the pain caused by nerve damage. There are also surgery options for cases where the neuropathy is due to compressed nerves. Beyond that, there is physical therapy that can help you improve your balance and mobility, and there is occupational therapy for helping you compensate for the loss of mobility you’ve suffered as a result of neuropathy.

If Treatments Haven’t Been Working, or If You’re Tired of Being Dependent on Them, There’s Another Way

At Valhalla Wellness, we combine conventional treatments with a functional, varied approach that targets healing on a wider scale. Our neuropathy treatment program will address your symptoms; however, we will also work to identify and resolve the underlying problems at the root of your condition. Our focus isn’t merely on working to target symptoms, but also on improving your body’s overall health so it can more effectively heal itself. This includes therapy, nutritional supplementations and lifestyle adjustments.

For neuropathy patients, we also feature a more targeted approach. A lack of blood circulation can lead to the death of nerve cells and tissues. This is why we utilize a neurostimulator to aid in the repair and growth of damaged nerves. We stimulate afflicted areas, helping your extremities recover, and we also use leg wraps and herbal remedies to facilitate healing locally.

With these treatments, in addition to our focus on improving your overall health, we can help in reversing neuropathy, freeing you from the condition for good. But this only works if you’re ready to commit to our program.

If neuropathy symptoms have taken a toll on your quality of life, don’t hesitate to return your lifestyle to the standards you deserve. Call us today for a consultation, and learn if you’re a good fit for our program.