5 Options in Treating Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves of the peripheral nervous system. There are numerous signs and symptoms but the common ones are temporary numbness, tingling sensations, sensitivity to touch, or muscle weakness of the feet, legs, hands, and arms. Sometimes, people experience extreme symptoms such as burning pain and even paralysis.

There are also a lot of available treatment options and neuropathy patients can try out management combinations that work best for them.

Medications such as over the counter pain killers can sometimes help relieve mild symptoms. Garbapentin and phenytoin are anti seizure medications but these are also prescribed for nerve pain. A few antidepressants like amitriptyline for example, have also been found to relieve pain. Lidocaine patches can be applied to the painful area. Tramadol is an opiate based painkiller reserved for patients who do not respond to any other treatment. All drug based medications can have side effects so be aware if any of these produce unwanted results.

Injection therapy involves numbing the nerves of the affected area providing fast but temporary pain relief. This procedure is done by injecting an anesthetic agent, usually lidocane, to the nerves, preventing pain impulses from going to the brain. Injection therapy is typically done with other treatment methods like physical therapy.

Physical therapy is done to improve blood circulation, strength and function in areas affected by peripheral neuropathy. This includes both active and passive exercises. Stretching and passive range of motion exercise are done to maintain range of motion. Muscle strengthening includes isometric exercise and active exercises.
Surgery is done for certain conditions that may cause peripheral neuropathy. Carpal tunnel syndrome and a nerve compressing tumor are among the conditions that cause peripheral neuropathy and the only effective treatment is to surgically remove the compressing entity. In such cases, the carpal ligament is permanently cut and the tumor is removed to relieve pressure to the nerves.

A common cause of peripheral neuropathy is thiamine deficiency. It leads to tingling, numbness, sharp pains, or burning of the extremities. A neuropathy supplement with vitamin B12, thiamine, alpha lipoic acid, and DHEA has been shown to be an effective management method for peripheral neuropathy.

Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy

One of the most common chronic diseases is peripheral neuropathy. This is a nerve disease that commonly affects the extremities.

The symptoms depend on which nerves are affected. It also differs on whether one nerve or multiple nerves are damaged.

The frequent symptoms are weakness of the muscles. When there is nerve damage, it is difficult to control the muscles. It can be hard to grip or open objects using the hands. The legs can also buckle or you may trip over because of this. There may also be frequent cramps or twitching of the extremities. There may be loss of coordination and on rare instances, even paralysis of the muscles.

Another common symptom is numbness in the arms or legs or both. This is an early sign of damage to the nerves. Often, the feet are first to be affected followed by the hands and arms as the condition progresses. Because of the loss of feeling in the lower extremities, you may not notice even if there is a blister on your feet. When the arms and hands are affected, one may not become aware of touching objects that is too hot or too cold. In some individuals, this can be felt as prickling sensations.

Others may experience severe symptoms such as pain especially during the night. A light touch of the bed sheet on the feet can sometimes be felt as burning pain. Sometimes there can be sharp pain or jabbing pain. This also happens when the nerve is damaged.

When any of the signs and symptoms of neuropathy are noted, one should seek medical advice at the soonest possible time. This will minimize the chances of having severe complications.

Medical practitioners agree that taking on a healthy lifestyle is vital in the management of peripheral neuropathy. For instance, doing regular exercises can reduce cramps, prevent muscle wasting, and increase muscle strength.

Vitamin deficiencies such as lack of thiamine can cause nerve problems. Correcting nutritional problems and low vitamin levels can greatly help relieve symptoms. A neuropathy supplement with thiamine, vitamin B12, and DHEA has been found to be an effective way to nutritionally manage peripheral neuropathy.