Over 20 million Americans suffer from neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where the peripheral nerves are damaged or diseased. When damage to one or more nerves interrupts the flow of signals from the brain it can impair normal movement of muscles, impair sensations, and eventually result in neuropathic pain. The pain can range from mild to severe, but the good news is that hands-on treatment from an experienced chiropractor can often keep the pain at bay.
When a nerve is affected by peripheral neuropathy, it needs a lot of oxygenated blood to stay healthy. Chiropractic treatments can naturally alleviate numbness, tingling, pain, and burning of neuropathy without surgery or drugs. Adjustments, massage therapy, and other treatment modalities increase circulation around and to damaged nerves to encourage production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the formation of new capillaries. Chiropractic treatments also improve the function of the lymphatic system which reduces swelling, pain, and inflammation caused by peripheral neuropathy.
Together, we will create a personalized treatment plan catered to YOUR body, YOUR pain points and YOUR speed. What is right for one won’t be right for another. We specialize in the following methods to create a customized treatment plan.
Chiropractic adjustments and manipulations are a form of chiropractic treatment that works to realign the spine. This is believed to reduce neuropathic pain because when the spine is out of alignment, nerve signals can be interrupted and sent to areas they aren’t supposed to go.
Manipulations and adjustments also help stretch muscles that might be tense which helps restore proper function of nerves around the affected areas. This also increases blood flow so healing may occur faster. The goal of this treatment is to reduce pain, increase stability of joints, improve range of motion, increase joint stability, promote healthy tissue repair, and restore nerve and muscle function.
Regenerative cells from Wharton’s jelly is a type of regenerative medicine often used for peripheral neuropathy that has had significant success. Special cells release regenerative factors into the body. They produce proteins that support the survival and growth of neurons, as well as immunomodulatory substances that can reverse damage of the nerves. Angiogenic factors are also produced which are essential for the growth, healing, development, and maintenance of blood vessels. All of these mechanisms encourage the body to hone its natural healing processes. Damaged nerves can actually regenerate when these cells are introduced into damaged areas.
Neuropathy symptoms vary due to the types of nerves that are impacted and where the nerves are located. Peripheral neuropathy symptoms may include inflammation in the knees, shoulder, or calves; foot and ankle pain; limited range of motion; limb and extremity numbness and tingling; tremors or weakness; migraines and headaches; chronic fatigue and pain; and stiff muscles.
The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes. However, it can also be caused by inflammatory disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia, nerve damage, traumatic injury, exposure to toxins and heavy metals, tumors, metabolic disorders, infections, vasculitis, chemotherapy, and vitamin deficiencies.
Figuring out the cause of some types of nerve damage can be a challenge. As many as 30 percent of people suffering from neuropathy have no clear cause for the pain. Fortunately, a chiropractor has a variety of methods available to diagnose and treat your neuropathy pain.
Your chiropractor will evaluate your medical history and ask you to describe your symptoms. They will provide a full physical exam, including a neurological exam that will assess your coordination, balance, reflexes, and movement. They may also order or conduct tests such as electromyography tests to determine how well nerves are transmitting impulses to the brain. EMG’s also measure electrical activity within soft tissues and muscles.
If left untreated, pinched nerves can lead to permanent nerve damage and chronic pain. A chiropractor can perform adjustments and other treatments to relieve pressure on pinched nerves to alleviate pain and prevent nerve damage.
Unfortunately there is no cure for peripheral neuropathy. Fortunately though, there are ways to treat the condition and lessen the symptoms with treatments such as chiropractic and regenerative medicine.
You can prevent peripheral neuropathy by making good lifestyle choices such as eating a healthy diet, avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol, not smoking, getting proper rest, and exercising regularly. Take good care of your hands and feet and always treat injuries.
Some patients report a 60 to 80 percent reduction in symptoms within 18 hours of treatment. Symptoms also typically improve over a several day or week span after treatment. Results also depend on the patient’s overall wellbeing and health.
Chiropractic uses a full-body approach to healing to bring all bodily systems into regulation and alignment. This includes the nervous system which may help stop or relieve the symptoms and pain of peripheral neuropathy. Cell-based regeneration therapy is also effective at treating the nerve damage that causes peripheral neuropathy. Rather than reviewing one area of pain, our approach treats your body as a whole. If you would like to discuss how our team can help with the pain and other symptoms of your peripheral neuropathy, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
