What is neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a condition that affects your peripheral nerves and causes symptoms like numbness, tingling, and pain in your arms, hands, legs, and feet. Your peripheral nerves are normally responsible for sending signals about pain, temperature, and pressure from your limbs to your brain, but when you have neuropathy, the normal signaling function gets interrupted.
What are the symptoms of neuropathy?
In addition to pain, numbness, and tingling in your limbs, neuropathy can also cause:
- Decreased sensitivity in your hands and feet
- Loss of coordination or tripping easily
- Pins and needles sensation in your hands and feet
- Burning sensation
- Injuries associated with lost sensation, like burning your hands on a hot pan or tripping and falling
Neuropathy can become progressively worse if left untreated, which can predispose you to further injuries and discomfort.
What causes neuropathy?
About 30% of neuropathy cases are caused by diabetes. Other possible causes of neuropathy include:
- Certain medications, like chemotherapy drugs
- Trauma
- Nerve injuries
- Cervical or lumbar radiculopathies, meaning a nerve in your neck or lower back is pinched and causing symptoms into your limbs
- Vitamin deficiencies
- History of chronic alcoholism
Some types of neuropathy can be reversed, for instance, if you no longer need to take chemotherapy drugs or the cause of your spinal radiculopathy is resolved. Other types, such as diabetic neuropathy, can’t be cured but the symptoms may be reduced significantly with treatment.
How is neuropathy treated?
Treatment for neuropathy depends on the cause of your condition. In many cases, conservative care can help manage the symptoms and may even reverse the condition. Treatment options for neuropathy include:
- Chiropractic care
- Regenerative medicine
- Light therapy
- Cold laser therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- Rehab exercises and stretches
To determine which treatment approach is best for you, the team performs a thorough consultation and physical examination to understand the root cause of your symptoms. In some cases the team may refer you to another medical professional, such as a primary care doctor or internist, to manage symptoms of diabetes or other chronic medical conditions that contribute to neuropathy.
Neuropathy symptoms can be improved — or even reversed — with conservative care from the team at Reno Regenerative Medicine. Find out if you’re a candidate for care now by calling the office or requesting a consultation online.
