Today's post from dressamed.com (see link below) is another why, what and how, article about neuropathy. You know there are now dozens of these articles here on this blog but every one is slightly different and every one has the potential to teach you something new about the nerve damage you're dealing with. I strongly advise looking through a few of these general articles about neuropathy (use the search button on the right of this blog) and by doing this you'll build up a much more reliable picture of what you're going through and learn so much more about neuropathy than a doctor can tell you in the time you have with them. This particular article is plainly written, easy to absorb and importantly factually correct, without bias. Not everything will apply to your particular case but that in itself is something you need to know about this complex and confusing condition. Take what you need to know and go to your next appointment armed with enough knowledge to save time in your discussions. Doctors love patients who have done their homework but hate those who have not done it properly and have found one piece of information that doesn't apply to them, while insisting it must be true. Dealing with neuropathy has to be a partnership to get the best results.
Posted on May 11, 2016 Posted in Staff Pick by Staff Pick
What is peripheral neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy is a term which describes the damage done to peripheral nerves. This damage can be caused by more than 100 different known diseases. If only one nerve is involved it is called a mononeuropathy an example of which is carpal tunnel syndrome. If 2 or more nerves are involved in separate areas it is called a multiple mononeuropathy. This is usually the type of neuropathy meant when people say they have a peripheral neuropathy. If a spinal nerve root is involved it is called a radiculopathy such as sciatica from a herniated disc. If there is diffused involvement of the peripheral nerves it is called a polyneuropathy.
What is damaged in peripheral neuropathies?
The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy occur because the nerves are damaged in some way. This can occur at either the axon, which is “wire” from the nerve cell out to the body, or it can occur in the myelin sheath itself. The myelin sheath is like an insulator around the axon which acts to speed conduction of the nerve signal. For example, an axon with myelin connects like a broadband internet connection able to stream high definition video and an axon without myelin is like dial up service, slow with frequent interruptions. Myelin involvement often occurs in the setting of demyelinating diseases or some infections.
In addition to damaging the axon or myelin or both, peripheral neuropathy can also affect a variety of nerve types. Small nerves fibers are often damaged in diseases such as diabetes which leads to problems with pain, temperature, and sensation changes. Large nerve fibers are injured in such disease processes like Guillan-Barre syndrome which leads to profound muscle weakness. Nerve fibers that come directly from the brain, called cranial nerves, can also be injured by a variety of disease processes.
The type of symptoms you experience from peripheral neuropathy depend on the underlying cause and the type and location of the nerves damaged. For causes from metabolic disorders such as diabetes, the progession is usually slow and begins in the lower extremities. A change in sensation is often the first symptom people notice. This is worse at night. It progresses from there to involve decreases in the ability to sense temperature, vibration, and eventually leads to complete sensory loss. Oddly enough this is frequently accompanied by severe pain in the affected extremity which can be brought on by even minimal stimuli. At its ends stage, peripheral neuropathy can lead to skin breakdown, balance problems, and ultimately profound muscle weakness and wasting.
What are some of the definitions of medical terms used to describe peripheral neuropathy?
The follow is a list of common definitions:
Paresthesia: this is often described as numbness or tingling or the pins and needle type sensation.
Anesthesia: this is loss of all sensation, pain, temperature, touch. If you have this you could cut off your finger and not feel it at all.
Analgesia: this is loss of all painful sensation but you can still feel things such as touch and temperature.
Hyperesthesia: this is increased sensitivity to any kind of stimulus to the skin
Hypoesthesia: this is decreased sensitivity
How is peripheral neuropathy diagnosed?
The diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy includes an evaluation by a physician. This evaluation will include a history of your symptoms, a physical exam, and in some cases diagnostic testing.
The history of your symptoms will often lead to the diagnosis and can point to or pinpoint a cause. Important items will include when the symptoms started. Did they start suddenly or gradually or has it been a long slow process developing over an extended period of time. Is there just one episode or does it come and go. Other important factors include underlying medical disorders such as cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, dietary habits, trauma, employment exposures, and family history of a similar problem.
The physical exam helps to define the extent of the neuropathy and usually involves a head to toe evaluation with particular attention on the eye and neurologic portions of the exam. During this exam it is usually evident if you have a mononeuropathy or a polyneuropathy. After the history and physical exam diagnostic testing is often undertaken. There are three main classes of diagnostic tests used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment. These are laboratory studies, imaging studies, and nerve studies.
Laboratory studies will often include a complete blood count to look for signs of anemia, heavy metal poisoning, or cancer. Electrolytes, kidney function tests, and certain vitamin levels will often be checked to evaluated causes such as kidney failure, diabetes and other endocrine disorders, and nutritional deficiencies. In some cases screening tests for rare diseases such as porphyria or infections will also be done and at times may include a skin or nerve biopsy or a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
Imaging studies may include but are not limited to CT scans and MRI of the affected area. MRI in particular can often tell, in the right context, if your symptoms are from nerve impingement or other structural disorder.
Finally, nerve conduction studies and electromyography(EMG) is often undertaken. In nerve conduction studies a probe is used to stimulate a nerve causing an electrical impulse to fire. The way in which this impulse is transmitted can often tell your doctor if it is the axon or the myelin that is damaged. With EMG electrical activity is measure with the muscle active and at rest. This can help distinguish between nerve and muscle injury.
What kind of treatments are available for peripheral neuropathy?
The approach to treating peripheral neuropathy can be broken down into three main areas.
First, correcting the underlying cause of the neuropathy is important. Peripheral nerves, to some extent can heal and regenerate, so if the cause is found early, and treatment is initiated then the disease process can be slowed, stopped, or sometimes even reversed. For example, while diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy, early diagnosis with tight control of your blood sugar can prevent this complication from occurring and stop or even reverse it once it has started.
Second, it is important to create on optimal environment for healing within your body. This begins with adopting a healthy lifestyle. Sleep is essential for your body to heal itself and trying to get 8 hours of sleep a night is very important. Maintaining an optimal body weight through healthy diet and exercise is also necessary. Get rid of the junk that you eat focusing on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting processed and high fat foods. This is usually enough to correct any underlying nutritional deficiencies but you may also want to consider taking a multivitamin. Finally, limit or eliminate alcohol and definitely stop tobacco in any of its forms.
Third, it is important to control the symptoms. The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can be very difficult to control. Initial pain control with over the counter analgesics such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen is sometimes helpful but rarely sufficient. If pain is severe and chronic a variety of medications may be tried but there are no definitive guidelines give lack of evidence strongly favoring one treatment over another.
Tricyclic antidepressants. These medications are older antidepressants largely replaced now by the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). An example is amitriptyline which has been shown to be of some benefit and is thought to work by affecting the way your nerves respond to pain.
Antiepileptics. These are seizure medications such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, lamictal, and topiramate. They have shown some benefit with the exception of topiramate. To some extent they work by blocking the ability of nerves to rapidly trigger and electrical response.
Gabapentin. This drug is also a seizure medication but its mechanism of action is not definitively known. It is thought to help peripheral neuropathy by modulating pain signals in the the spinal cord.
Tramadol: This is a pain medication which has been found to have some benefit beyond its ability to treat pain in helping with the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
Lidocaine patches: Known also as lidoderm patches these are applied directly to the site of pain and help in select cases.
Capsaicin: A topical preparation shown to have some benefit.
Surgical intervention: In extreme cases sometimes the nerve itself will be destroyed. This often only helps the pain for a brief period of time as peripheral nerves have an astounding ability to regenerate. Unfortunately, symptoms ultimately wind up worse then before the procedure.
What does the future hold?
As with any disease prevention is always better then treatment. There are multiple ongoing investigations into the different ways in which the nerves are damaged. As these processes are identified it is hoped that additional treatment will be found. Other research areas include looking at how the body responds to pain from neuropathy and creating or finding treatments that will block this process at either the brain or in the spinal cord.
About The Author
Dr. N. McMullin M.D. uses plant extracts, infused oils, and essential oils to make neuropathol solutions for relief from peripheral neuropathy symptoms.
Syndicated by EzineArticles
https://www.dressamed.com/root/the-5-whats-and-how-of-peripheral-neuropathy/
Today's excellent post from mollysfund.org (see link below) is the latest in a series of general information posts to be found here on this blog about neuropathy which regular readers will recognise as being important for those who need to brush up on the facts, or are meeting neuropathy for the first time. This comprehensive and informative article covers most of the bases and will answer most of your basic questions. However, you need to remember that not everything will apply to your situation and not every suggestion will be useful to you either. That's what makes neuropathy such a difficult disease - it's unique to every individual and one size does most definitely not fit all. However, even for experienced neuropathy patients, the information provided here will increase your knowledge and help your discussions with the doctors or specialists that you meet along the way.Peripheral Neuropathy
Molly's Fund.org
What is peripheral neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy is a general term for a series of disorders that result from damage to the body’s peripheral nervous system. The body’s nervous system is made up of two parts; the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nerve system (PNS). The CNS includes the brain and the spinal cord. The PNS connects the nerves that run from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. This includes the legs, arms, hands, feet, joints, eyes, ears, mouth, nose and skin. These neurons transport signals about physical sensations back to your brain. An estimated 20 million people in the United States have some form of peripheral neuropathy, a disorder that results from damage that occurs to your peripheral nerves. These damaged or destroyed nerves can no longer send out messages, or they send incorrect or distorted information, between the brain and spinal cord and the skin, muscles or other parts of the body. Generally speaking, this often causes unusual sensations, burning, numbness, weakness, loss of balance, and even pain. The symptoms usually occur in your hands and feet, but other areas of your body can also be affected. There are three types of peripheral nerves and all of them can be affected by peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is also categorized by the size of the nerve fibers involved, large or small. The three types peripheral nerves are:
Sensory Nerves: These connect to your skin
Motor Nerves: These connect to your muscles
Autonomic Nerves: These connect to your internal organs.
It can be scary to get diagnosed with any disease, especially one with a ominous sounding name like peripheral neuropathy. We hope that by providing information in this blog, about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and some potential causes of peripheral neuropathy, you will feel more empowered, and armed with the information that will help you live your best life with this condition.
What causes peripheral neuropathy?
There are many causes of neuropathy. Approximately 30% of neuropathies are “idiopathic,” meaning that the cause is unknown and in another 30% of cases, diabetes is the cause. According to some studies, nearly 60 percent of diabetics have some sort of nerve damage. This damage is often due to high blood sugar levels, and the risk for neuropathy increases for diabetics who are over the age of 40, have high blood pressure, or are overweight. Having a family history of peripheral neuropathy increases the chances of developing the disorder. However, a variety of factors and underlying conditions may also cause this condition. Some other causes of peripheral neuropathy may include:
Autoimmune disorders: Diseases in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues can lead to nerve damage. This can include disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
Infections: This can include certain bacterial or viral infections such as Lyme disease, shingles, Epstein Barr virus, hepatitis C, leprosy, HIV, and diphtheria.
Heredity: Disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease are hereditary types of neuropathy.
Tumors: Peripheral neuropathy can occur as a result of tumors or growths putting pressure on nerves.
Nutritional imbalances and vitamin deficiencies: B vitamins, including B-1, B-6 and B-12, vitamin E and niacin are crucial to nerve health, imbalances and deficiencies can lead to peripheral neuropathy.
Traumatic injury: Traumatic injury from sports or vehicular accidents can sever or damage peripheral nerves. Pressure on nerves may also result from having a cast, using crutches or repeating a motion many times, such as typing (this is often referred to as carpal tunnel syndrome, a type of peripheral neuropathy).
Exposure to poisons or toxins: This includes those that contain heavy metals or chemicals, lead, mercury, and arsenic. In addition, neuropathies have also been known to have been caused by certain insecticides and solvents.
Certain medications: The medications used to treat cancer (chemotherapy) can cause neuropathy. In addition, anticonvulsant agents (medications used to reduce seizures) and even some medications prescribed to treat heart and blood pressure can cause peripheral neuropathy. In most cases, when these medications are discontinued or dosages are adjusted, the neuropathy resolves.
Disorders of the bone marrow: Peripheral neuropathy may also be caused by lymphoma, disorders that include abnormal protein in the blood, some forms of bone cancer, and amyloidosis (a disorder where amyloid, an abnormal protein that is usually produced in your bone marrow builds up in any tissue or organ).
Other diseases: These could include connective tissue disorders, liver disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), vasculitis.
Alcoholism: Heavy alcohol consumption is a common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Chronic alcohol abuse often leads to certain nutritional deficiencies (particularly thiamine, B 12, and folate) that are linked to neuropathy. Damage may not be reversible but if the person stops drinking alcohol, the symptoms may lessen.
What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy?
Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may be experienced over a period of days, weeks, or years. They can be acute or chronic. In acute neuropathies, the symptoms will appear suddenly, rapidly progress, and resolve slowly as damaged nerves heal. In chronic forms of neuropathy, the symptoms often begin subtly and progress slowly. Some people may have periods of little symptomatic activity (remissions) followed by periods of increased symptoms (flares). Others may reach a stage where symptoms stay the same for many months or even years. Many chronic neuropathies worsen over time. Although peripheral neuropathy may be potentially debilitating, very few forms are fatal. The specific symptoms of peripheral neuropathy will vary depending on whether motor, sensory, or autonomic nerves are damaged. These are some of the most common symptoms:
Tingling in hands and/or feet
Pain described as sharp, stabbing or burning
Loss of balance
Numbness in hands and/or feet
Heavy feeling in the arms and/or legs, sometimes described as feeling like your legs or arms “lock” in place
The feeling of wearing tight gloves or socks when you are not
Buzzing, vibrating or shocking sensation in muscles
Often the symptoms are symmetrical involving both hands and/or both feet. Because these symptoms occur in areas covered by gloves or stockings, peripheral neuropathy is often described as having a ‘glove and stocking’ symptom distribution. In many cases these symptoms improve with treatment especially if the underlying cause or condition is treatable.
Here are the symptoms that might be experienced when the different types of nerves are involved:
Motor nerve damage symptoms: The motor nerves control voluntary movement of muscles such as those used for walking, grasping things or talking. If these motor nerves are damaged, the following symptoms might occur:
Muscle weakness
Cramping
Decreased motor skills
Atrophy (shrinking) of the muscles
Twitching
Cramping
Slower reflexes
Sensory nerve damage symptoms: The sensory nerves have a broad range of sensory functions. Any damage to these nerves might cause a person to experience these symptoms:
Decreased sensations of touch. This can lead to not experiencing the pain from a cut or injury, or the feeling of wearing gloves or stocking when they are not.
A loss of ‘sense of position’ which can make coordinating complex movements like walking or buttoning a shirt very difficult. Balance might also be affected.
Difficulty in transmitting temperature sensations which could lead to burns. This loss of pain sensation can be a very serious problem for those suffering from diabetes and may contribute to a high rate of lower limb amputations among this group.
Increased sensation of pain is often a debilitating symptom of neuropathy. Instead of numbness, it can produce the opposite effect of an increased sensation of pain or feeling severe pain from stimuli that would normally be painless. It can severely affect quality of life, ability to sleep, emotional well-being, and the ability to work.
Autonomic nerve damage symptoms: If the autonomic nerves are involved, nearly every organ can be affected. The autonomic nerves control the functions of the body that happen automatically. Autonomic neuropathy can have symptoms that affect the loss of control of some of these functions. Symptoms may include:
Problems with heart rate
Difficulty with the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure which may cause dizziness or light-headedness
Problems with digestion (this may include diarrhea, or constipation)
Loss of bladder control
Inability to sweat normally which could lead to heat intolerance or overheating
Difficulty eating or swallowing
Seek medical care right away if you notice unusual pain, weakness or tingling in your hands or feet. Early diagnosis and treatment offer the best chance for preventing further damage to your peripheral nerves and controlling your symptoms.
How is it diagnosed?
Peripheral neuropathy is not a single disease, but rather describes damage to the nerves that produces varying symptoms. Because there are many potential causes for peripheral neuropathy, your doctor will need to examine where the nerve damage is in your body and attempt to determine what may be causing it. A neurologist is typically the type of doctor who will diagnose and treat neuropathy. A diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy usually requires:
Complete medical history: Your physician will first review your medical history, this will include discussions of any current or past medical conditions, your lifestyle, any exposure to toxins, your drinking habits, and any family history of nervous symptom diseases.
Physical exam
Neurological exam: Your physician will check your reflexes, muscle tone and strength, ability to feel sensations, coordination and posture.
Blood tests: Blood tests can detect vitamin deficiencies, liver or kidney dysfunction, diabetes, other metabolic disorders, and/or any signs of abnormal immune system activity
Diagnostic and imaging tests: This may include CT or MRI scans to show muscle quality and size, look for tumors, herniated discs or any other abnormality that might be causing your symptoms. Electromyography involves inserting a fine needle into a muscle to record electrical activity when muscles are at rest and when they contract. This can determine if your symptoms are being caused by muscle or nerve damage.
Nerve biopsy: This is where a small portion of a nerve is examined to determine the cause of your specific nerve damage.
Skin biopsy: A skin biopsy would be taken to observe the number of nerve endings in the skin. A reduction of nerve endings can signal neuropathy.
Other tests to analyze nerve function: Sweat tests to record how your body sweats, autonomic reflex screen test that will record how the autonomic nerve fibers are functioning, and other sensory tests to indicate how you feel touch, temperature changes, and vibrations.
If your lab and other diagnostic tests do not indicate any underlying condition, your doctor may recommend ‘watchful’ waiting to see if your neuropathy symptoms improve. If either exposure to toxins or alcohol consumption are the suspected causes of your condition, your doctor will recommend avoiding those substances to see if your symptoms improve before prescribing any medications or developing a treatment protocol.
How is it treated?
Peripheral neuropathy can be very uncomfortable and debilitating. Fortunately, treatment can be very helpful in the management of neuropathy symptoms. But before any treatment can begin, the most important step is to determine the underlying cause of the neuropathy to plan the correct course of treatment. Some of the treatments for peripheral neuropathy may include:
Medications
Over-the-counter or non-prescription pain relievers: Over-the-counter pain medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc. can be very helpful in relieving mild or moderate symptoms. For more-severe symptoms, your doctor may recommend prescription painkillers. Because these drugs can affect your liver or stomach function, it is very important to avoid using them for an extended period of time, especially if you regularly drink alcohol.
Prescription medications: Medications containing opioids can lead to dependence and addiction and are therefore generally prescribed only when other treatments fail. These drugs can include tramadol, oxycodone, conzip and others, COX-2 inhibitors, etc.
Steroid Injections: Corticosteroid injections can help with pain and inflammation
Anti-seizure medications: Medications developed to treat epilepsy may also relieve nerve pain. These medications can may cause side effects that include drowsiness and dizziness.
Capsaicin: Capsaicin is a substance naturally in hot peppers and can cause modest improvements in peripheral neuropathy symptoms. Doctors may suggest you use this cream with other treatments. However, some people can’t tolerate it and side effects such as skin burning and irritation may occur (these often lessen over time). Topical lidocaine, an anesthetic agent might also be prescribed for localized chronic neuropathic pain such as pain from the shingles virus. Their helpfulness in the treatment of diffuse chronic diabetic neuropathy is limited.
Antidepressants: Certain antidepressants have been shown to interfere with the chemical processes in the brain and spinal cord that cause the body to feel pain. These medications may include tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, doxepin and nortriptyline (Pamelor).
Immunosuppressant medications: Medications to reduce the immune system’s reaction, such as prednisone, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, others), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) and azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), may also help people with peripheral neuropathy associated with autoimmune conditions such as [lupus] and [RA].
Other medications: Pregabalin (Lyrica) is a medication that is used for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (postherpetic neuralgia is a complication of shingles) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Duloxetine (Cymbalta) has been approved for use in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Therapies
Various therapies and procedures may help ease symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
Intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange: This treatment is also very common in the treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (a disorder characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms) and other inflammatory neuropathy. In immune globulin therapy, you receive high levels of proteins that work as antibodies. This helps to suppress immune system activity. Plasma exchange (called plasmapherisis) involves removing your blood and then removing antibodies and other proteins from the blood. The blood is then returned to your body.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): TENS is a non-invasive intervention used for pain relief for a range of conditions, and a number of studies have described its use for neuropathic pain. In TENS, varying currents of gentle electrical current is delivered through adhesive electrodes placed on the skin. It is recommended that TENS should be applied for 30 minutes daily for about one month.
Physical therapy: Physical therapy can help improve your movements and counteract muscle weakness. Assistive medical devices such as canes, walkers, hand/foot braces might also be needed and helpful for those with mobility issues related to neuropathy.
Surgery: If pressure on the nerves is being caused by tumors for example, surgical intervention might be required and recommended to reduce the pressure. In carpal tunnel, where there is typically injury to a single nerve, surgery may be an effective solution. Some surgical procedures reduce pain by destroying the nerve when other treatments have failed to provide relief. Typically, diabetic neuropathy is not treated with surgical intervention.
Nerve block: A nerve block is an injection of anesthetics directly into the nerves.
Many treatments can bring relief to neuropathic symptoms and can help you to return to your regular activities. Often, a combination of lifestyle adjustments, treatments and therapies may work best.
Alternative treatments and self-care options
Complementary and alternative treatments have been shown to provide relief of peripheral neuropathy symptoms. The following therapies have shown some promise despite the fact that researchers have not studied these techniques as thoroughly as they have most traditional pharmaceutical medications. Some of these complementary and alternative treatments may include:
Fish oil supplements:These supplements, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, may reduce inflammation, improve blood flow and improve neuropathy symptoms in people with diabetes. Check with your doctor before taking fish oil supplements if you’re taking anti-clotting medications.
Herbs: Certain herbs, such as evening primrose oil, may help reduce neuropathy pain in people with diabetes. Some herbs may interact with medications or make some medications less effective, so please discuss any herbs or supplements that you are considering adding to your diet with your doctor.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture, which involves inserting thin needles into various points on your body, may reduce peripheral neuropathy symptoms. Multiple sessions might be required before any significant symptom improvement is noticed. Always be sure find a certified acupuncture specialist using sterile needles.
Chiropractic care: This can include massage, muscle stimulation, ultrasound therapy and manipulation.
Massage
Alpha-lipoic acid: This antioxidant has been used as a treatment to help reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in Europe for years. Blood sugar levels may be affected by this antioxidant, so please discuss using alpha-lipoic acid with your physician. Other side effects could include skin rash and stomach upset.
Amino acids: In people who have undergone chemotherapy and in people with diabetes, amino acids, such as acetyl-L-carnitine, may help improve peripheral neuropathy. Side effects may include nausea and/or vomiting.
Some suggestions to help you self-manage peripheral neuropathy
Quit smoking: Cigarette smoking can affect circulation by constricting the vessels that supply nutrients to the peripheral nerves, increasing the risk of foot problems and other neuropathy complications.
Exercise: Ask your doctor about starting an exercise routine. Regular gentle exercise, such as walking, or swimming may reduce neuropathy pain, control cramping, improve your muscle strength, prevent the muscles from atrophy, and help control blood sugar levels. Yoga and tai chi might also help.
Eat a balanced diet: Healthy eating is especially important to ensure that you get essential vitamins and minerals. Emphasize low-fat meats and dairy products and include lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. Protect against vitamin B-12 deficiency by eating meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy foods and fortified cereals. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, fortified cereals are a good source of vitamin B-12, but also talk to your doctor about B-12 supplements. Speak with your doctor about using various dietary strategies to improve gastrointestinal symptoms from neuropathy.
Avoid excessive alcohol: Alcohol may worsen peripheral neuropathy.
Meditation
Monitor your blood glucose levels: Monitoring your blood glucose levels, if you have diabetes, will help keep your blood glucose under control and may even help improve your symptoms of neuropathy.
Take good care of your feet, especially if you have diabetes: Wash and inspect your feet daily for any injuries, blisters, cuts or calluses. Help to keep the skin moist with lotion. Timely treatment of injuries can help prevent permanent damage. Wearing soft, loose cotton socks and shoes with padded inserts may also help. To keep bedcovers off of hot or sensitive feet and provide a better night’s sleep, you may wish to use a semicircular hoop. These can be found in medical supply stores.
Making Your Home Safe
If you have peripheral neuropathy, you are potentially at greater risk for accidents in the home due to muscle weakness, loss of balance, decreased sensitivity to sensations of pain, etc. Here are few things to keep in mind to make yourself safer in your home and decrease your chances of injury:
Protect your feet by always wearing shoes.
Things laying around on the floor can be a tripping hazard, so try to keep your floor clear.
Use your elbow, not your hand or foot to check the temperature of your bath or dishwater.
Installing handrails in your bathtub or shower, as well as anti-slip bath mats can reduce the odds of falling or slipping and injuring yourself.
For those whose work involves sitting for long periods of time, make the effort to get up and move around a few times each hour to improve circulation. It is important to not stay in one position for too long.
In Conclusion
Peripheral neuropathy, while it cannot be cured, can most likely be well-managed if it is caused by a treatable underlying condition. The best way to prevent peripheral neuropathy is to manage those conditions that may put you at risk, such as diabetes, alcoholism or rheumatoid arthritis. Even if you have a family history of this disorder, you may be able to prevent its onset by taking the following precautions to lower your risk:
Being aware of any toxins that you might be exposed to at work or at school
Protecting your feet during sports, especially those that involve kicking
Never inhaling toxins like glue to get high
Managing your alcohol intake
Avoiding tobacco and smoking
Maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle
Avoiding factors that may cause nerve damage such as repetitive motions, staying in one position for long periods of time, staying in cramped positions
The goal of treatment and therapy for peripheral neuropathy is targeted at treating the underlying disease and improving the symptoms with the right combinations of medications and therapies. Finding a knowledgeable and experienced neurologist who listens and supports you, and makes you feel more comfortable can greatly improve your quality of life. It is very important to find a neurologist as soon as you notice any of the above-listed symptoms. This will provide the opportunity for you to receive the necessary treatment that can stop the disease before it has a chance to cause permanent damage help to ensure your best possible health. Neuropathy, fibromyalgia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and many other conditions are considered invisible illnesses meaning they cannot be seen, but they exist. Being misunderstood and judged are two of the most common frustrations with those suffering from invisible illnesses. In addition to educating yourself about peripheral neuropathy, you might find it helpful to provide your family, friends and co-workers with information as well. Sharing this blog might be a good start! We want you to know that you are not alone as you learn to navigate living with a chronic and invisible illness. Our Facebook community is a great place to share and get great support from others who know exactly what you are experiencing and our online support groups are also a great way to get connected. We are here for you. Sources: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/detail_peripheralneuropathy.htm, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/definition/con-20019948, http://www.healthline.com/health/peripheral-neuropathy#Overview1, http://www.medicinenet.com/peripheral_neuropathy/article.htm, https://www.foundationforpn.org/, http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=About_Facts
http://www.mollysfund.org/2015/02/peripheral-neuropathy/
