Living with neuropathy is complex as it impacts so many parts of your daily life. Now that you have a formal diagnosis, you can start learning what it means and the variety of possible causes. What’s more important is that you can also begin exploring your various treatment options to help you recover and gain control over your life again.

Understanding A Neuropathy Diagnosis

Your body has a tremendous network of nerves that control everything from automatic bodily functions to sensation and movement. Damage to these nerves results in a variety of symptoms and has a host of possible causes, but are collectively called neuropathy.

Neuropathy ranges in severity, with four stages ranging from numbness and pain to complete loss of sensation at the affected site. Depending on the underlying cause of the neuropathy, some people may recover on their own, while others will continue progressing without the right intervention.

The broad diagnosis of neuropathy may fall into one of three classes. The first is motor neuropathy, which affects the nerves that control conscious movement. Then you have sensory neuropathy, which affects the nerves responsive for senses like pressure, pain, and temperature. Finally is autonomic neuropathy which impacts the nerves associated with automatic functions like breathing, digestion, and even heart function.

Wide Range of Causes

The most common cause of neuropathy is some form of physical trauma or injury. This can include sports injuries, car accidents, a fall, or even repetitive movements. However, there is also a multitude of other causes, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Some autoimmune conditions
  • Vascular or cardiac conditions
  • Some blood conditions
  • Infections
  • Surgical complications
  • Nutritional deficiency
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Some medications

What Are Possible Symptoms?

The symptoms will vary depending on what type of neuropathy you’re experiencing, its grade, and the underlying cause. Some common symptoms include:

  • Muscle weakness
  • Tingling or numbness
  • Intolerance to heat
  • Sharp, jabbing, burning or throbbing pain
  • Sensitivity to touch
  • Loss of coordination
  • Feeling of pressure on your skin
  • Excessive sweating
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Drops in blood pressure

Neuropathy Treatment Options

There are many possible treatment options for neuropathy, but not all may be the right ones for you. Rather, the kind of neuropathy you’re dealing with, its severity, and your symptoms will all play a role in determining the appropriate course of treatment for your personal case. Keep in mind that you may need multiple forms of treatment to get the best outcome.

Chiropractic Care

You should almost always consider chiropractic care as a first-line treatment for neuropathy. Chiropractic care corrects structural shifts, which commonly interrupt communication and blood flow through the nerve by compressing it. This damages the nerve, resulting in some form of neuropathy, sometimes up to permanent nerve damage.

Chiropractic care also offers pain relief thanks to the release of beta endorphins, one of the body’s natural pain relievers. Additionally, chiropractic care helps improve overall circulation and signaling between the peripheral nerves and their hardline to the brain, which is the spinal cord.

Lifestyle Changes

All of the possible external treatments are great, but may not mean a lot if there are parts of your lifestyle contributing to your neuropathy. Talk with your medical team about changes you may need to make. For instance, have an honest conversation about your weight and exercise routine, both of which are significant risk factors for chronic neuropathy. Consider giving up smoking and reducing the amount of alcohol you drink if either of those is part of your regular life.

Physical Supports

Depending on the type of neuropathy you’re experiencing, you may want to consider various supports and braces. For instance, if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, a wrist brace is often helpful for preventing aggravation. You may want to consider specialized footwear if you suffer from diabetic neuropathy related to type-2 diabetes.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy may not completely solve neuropathy, but it certainly can help with relieving some of the symptoms. This is especially true if you suffer from motor nerve damage, which manifests in reduced muscle strength. Physical therapy also helps improve circulation, which improves your body’s delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the affected nerves.

TENS Therapy

One form of therapy that’s continually gaining more attention is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS for short. This uses electrical signals delivered through an adhesive electrode to stimulate nerve endings. Not only is this good for pain but has also shown promise in accelerating the recovery from motor nerve damage.

Medication

If your neuropathy is intense or if you’re suffering from significant autonomic neuropathy, your medical team may recommend various forms of medication. These may include pain relievers, anti-seizure meds, topical treatments like capsaicin or lidocaine cream, or even some antidepressants. Keep in mind that all medications have some risk of side effects, so whenever possible, try alternative approaches first.

Surgery

In some cases, you may require surgery to relieve the pressure on the affected nerves and get some relief. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the more common conditions where people seek surgical intervention. If a tumor is causing your neuropathy by pressing on a nerve then you may want to explore whether surgery is an option in your case to provide both a positive outcome for the underlying cancer as well as relieve the neuropathy.

Get a handle on your neuropathy by working with a team that understands all of the complexities it brings. Schedule your nerve screening with the neuropathy experts at Apex Chiropractic.