Today's post comes from neuropathytreatments.com and is one of a series of short, useful articles to be found on that site concerning neuropathy. This one talks about the importance of staying mobile with neuropathy, no matter how painful that might be. If your mobility is impaired either by the pain or lack of balance, then your lifestyle by definition, becomes more sedentary The problem is that this increases muscle weakness and reduces your mobility even more. It's a vicious circle, so we need to find ways of maintaining muscular exercise, strengthening the muscles and trying to overcome the balance issues. It's not something the average neuropathy patient looks forward to but it's very important both physically and mentally. Remember though, only you can say when you've done enough for today - listen to your body. You may find other posts on the site useful too.
Staying Active Can Help Lessen Neuropathic Pain
Posted on January 31, 2013
It is easy to find excuses or ways to stay off one’s feet when intense chronic pain is felt. One particular condition that causes intense pain is a condition known as neuropathy. Neuropathy, simply said, is when there is a communication breakdown between the brain and spinal cord. When there is a breakdown in communication, it is if static is being heard and the nerve endings are getting mixed messages as to what they should or should not be sensing. The brain is what communicates to the sensory nerves that the burner they are about to touch is hot and the sensory nerves communicates back to the brain that they could sense through touch that the burner is too hot.
A condition such as neuropathy can affect the hands and feet making it difficult and painful for the individual diagnosed with neuropathy to perform simple tasks such as walking or washing dishes and over time the pain of neuropathy can cause a decrease in mobility and threaten to rob a person of his or her mobility. When muscles are not exercised (or even used), they become stiff and lose their range of motion. Neuropathy can cause muscle weakness as well as muscle stiffness which means if not treated neuropathy could lead an individual into a life of immobility and complete loss of freedom. It may be bothersome to stay on ones feet while experiencing neuropathy in feet, however the alternative is much worse I can promise you that.
Stay Mobile
There are several ways a person with neuropathy can prevent a loss of mobility and that is through means of being mobile. One can stay mobile through various means such as therapy and exercise.
Therapy
Due to the sensitivity often felt in the foot area, neuropathy sufferers find it difficult to walk without excruciating pain. Even surfaces such as carpet and grass create an intense level of pain that men and women suffering with nerve pain symptoms like tingling, numbness and muscle weakness would rather spend their days in a chair than walking about enduring foot pain. Though walking and putting pressure on the feet may cause pain, it helps provide circulation, range of motion and muscle strength. If someone suffering with neuropathy chooses to reduce the amount of movement his or her joints receive, they run the risk of developing stiff muscles, loss of movement and further nerve damage from the lack of blood flow.
In order to prevent a loss of mobility, neuropathy treatments such as physical therapy, massage therapy and occupational therapy can be had to help lessen nerve pain as well as improve mobility.
Physical Therapy
There are several goals or objectives to participating in physical therapy after being diagnosed with neuropathy.
Maintaining a full range of motion
Strengthening muscles that may have been weakened from the effect of neuropathy
Though a neuropathic patient may reach their goal of movement and pain tolerance when walking, it would be unwise to stop participating in physical therapy. Neuropathy patients should continue to adhere to their physical therapist maintenance instructions to avoid taking a step backwards in their therapy progress. For those neuropathic patients that suffer from diabetic neuropathy specifically should not solely rely on physical therapy as their form of neuropathy treatment, diabetic neuropathy sufferers must focus their time and energy on maintaining their blood sugar levels as their first and foremost form of neuropathy treatment.
Low Impact Exercises
It may seem absorbed that a medical professional would ask his patient complaining of chronic pain when walking to get up and exercise daily, however that is exactly what is needed to help reduce nerve pain. Neuropathy often forces individuals off their feet due to the pain felt when on their feet walking about. What happens is that when neuropathic patients refrain from using their limbs they become stiff from lack of movement and a loss of mobility could occur – worsening the problem.
There are several low impact exercises that can help keep limbs loose and the blood circulating throughout. Walking and swimming are two wonderful options that when consistently done can help lessen the amount of nerve pain one experiences when walking and performing normal daily activities.
http://neuropathytreatments.com/2013/01/
A condition such as neuropathy can affect the hands and feet making it difficult and painful for the individual diagnosed with neuropathy to perform simple tasks such as walking or washing dishes and over time the pain of neuropathy can cause a decrease in mobility and threaten to rob a person of his or her mobility. When muscles are not exercised (or even used), they become stiff and lose their range of motion. Neuropathy can cause muscle weakness as well as muscle stiffness which means if not treated neuropathy could lead an individual into a life of immobility and complete loss of freedom. It may be bothersome to stay on ones feet while experiencing neuropathy in feet, however the alternative is much worse I can promise you that.
Stay Mobile
There are several ways a person with neuropathy can prevent a loss of mobility and that is through means of being mobile. One can stay mobile through various means such as therapy and exercise.
Therapy
Due to the sensitivity often felt in the foot area, neuropathy sufferers find it difficult to walk without excruciating pain. Even surfaces such as carpet and grass create an intense level of pain that men and women suffering with nerve pain symptoms like tingling, numbness and muscle weakness would rather spend their days in a chair than walking about enduring foot pain. Though walking and putting pressure on the feet may cause pain, it helps provide circulation, range of motion and muscle strength. If someone suffering with neuropathy chooses to reduce the amount of movement his or her joints receive, they run the risk of developing stiff muscles, loss of movement and further nerve damage from the lack of blood flow.
In order to prevent a loss of mobility, neuropathy treatments such as physical therapy, massage therapy and occupational therapy can be had to help lessen nerve pain as well as improve mobility.
Physical Therapy
There are several goals or objectives to participating in physical therapy after being diagnosed with neuropathy.
Maintaining a full range of motion
Strengthening muscles that may have been weakened from the effect of neuropathy
Though a neuropathic patient may reach their goal of movement and pain tolerance when walking, it would be unwise to stop participating in physical therapy. Neuropathy patients should continue to adhere to their physical therapist maintenance instructions to avoid taking a step backwards in their therapy progress. For those neuropathic patients that suffer from diabetic neuropathy specifically should not solely rely on physical therapy as their form of neuropathy treatment, diabetic neuropathy sufferers must focus their time and energy on maintaining their blood sugar levels as their first and foremost form of neuropathy treatment.
Low Impact Exercises
It may seem absorbed that a medical professional would ask his patient complaining of chronic pain when walking to get up and exercise daily, however that is exactly what is needed to help reduce nerve pain. Neuropathy often forces individuals off their feet due to the pain felt when on their feet walking about. What happens is that when neuropathic patients refrain from using their limbs they become stiff from lack of movement and a loss of mobility could occur – worsening the problem.
There are several low impact exercises that can help keep limbs loose and the blood circulating throughout. Walking and swimming are two wonderful options that when consistently done can help lessen the amount of nerve pain one experiences when walking and performing normal daily activities.
http://neuropathytreatments.com/2013/01/
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