Chiropractic Care for Neuropathy
What is Neuropathy
According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 20 million people in the United States suffer from some form of neuropathy. Neuropathy is a condition associated with damage to the peripheral nervous system. This damage may cause message interference with the body, brain and spinal cord, causing several unpleasant symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness and many others that we will discuss later in this article. Whether you’re dealing with single nerve damage, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, or nerve group damage, the Chiropractic Office of Dr. Gene Ross can help! What is the Peripheral Nervous System?
Your peripheral nervous system is a portion of your nervous system, excluding your brain and spinal cord that connects your limbs and organs to your central nervous system. Listed below are the nerves and their functions, Sensory Nerves: Communicate messages of cold, heat, touch and pain Autonomic Nerves: Communicate messages for involuntary or automatic functions of the body. For example, heart beat, digestion, ect. Motor Nerves: Control the muscles that enable movement of body parts.
What are the Symptoms
The severity of symptoms can range from moderate to severe depending on the affected nerves and where they’re located. Some cases of neuropathy can be chronic causing constant pain, discomfort, and fatigue. Some cases are only triggered by poor posture, or exercise. Some symptoms may come and go randomly. Though extreme, some cases of neuropathy may cause loss of consciousness, breathing problems, and paralyzation, but most peripheral neuropathy symptoms present themselves in the following ways: Stiff neck muscles Chronic pain Chronic fatigue Limited range of motion Numbness and tingling in the extremities and limbs Headaches and migraines Inflammation of the knees, calves, or shoulders Foot and ankle pain Weakness or tremors
What are the Causes?
Figuring out the cause of neuropathy can be challenging but here are the most widely known causes: Diabetes (most common) Misaligned extremity joints Infection Toxins Alcoholism Tumors Chronic disease like hyperthyroidism or Lyme disease Conditions that affect liver or kidney function Nutritional imbalances Vitamin B deficiencies Sudden trauma Poor posture How Can a Chiropractor Help?
If you’re living with neuropathy, your local chiropractor may be the best place to seek help. Chiropractors are nervous system specialists, and they can make sure that your body is running at optimum performance, so that your nervous system can successfully transmit messages. Your chiropractor may want to apply gentle adjustments to the area to help alleviate pressure from the affected nerve or nerve group. Patients may also experience relief when the chiropractor performs electro-stimulation therapy. Your chiropractor may also recommend Cold Laser therapy or other adjunct therapies if they feel they are required in your particular case. Since neuropathy can be chronic, your chiropractor may develop a schedule for regular visits, and as the condition is controlled, your frequency of visits may decrease.