A Whole-Person Approach to Managing Neuropathy

A Whole-Person Approach to Managing Neuropathy

Have you been experiencing numbness and tingling in your arms or legs? Do your muscles feel weak? Do you struggle with balance? All of these symptoms can point to peripheral neuropathy, a condition resulting from nerve damage. But at Vibrant Health Solutions, we offer several solutions to help address your concerns completely.

To understand neuropathy, you first need to understand your body’s nervous system. We can divide it into two parts:

• The central nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord
• The peripheral nervous system, which includes all the nerves outside the spinal cord

When you damage any of the nerves in your body, it can cause a wide range of symptoms depending on the source of the damage and the specific nerves affected. Central neuropathy, which affects the central nervous system, generally develops due to serious medical conditions like stroke, brain or spinal cord injury, or multiple sclerosis. However, peripheral neuropathy, which affects the peripheral nerves, can have a host of causes.

Today, we want to explore what our multidisciplinary team can do to help you manage peripheral neuropathy – how we can help alleviate symptoms and work with you to prevent complications.

A Quick Overview of Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when something disrupts the normal function of your peripheral nerves. Some of the most common causes include the following:

• Diabetes 
• Nerve injuries
• Autoimmune conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
• Infections like Lyme disease or shingles
• Genetic conditions 

Your body has three types of peripheral nerves, and your symptoms will vary depending on which types have been affected.

Sensory Nerve Symptoms

The sensory nerves interpret different sensations, like temperature or pain. 

• Sensitivity to touch
• Numbness or tingling that starts in the hands or feet and then spreads into your arms or legs
• Sharp, shooting, or “electric” pain
  

Motor Nerve Symptoms

The motor nerves control muscle movement. 

• Muscle weakness
• A lack of coordination or balance
• Difficulty moving
  

Autonomic Nerve Symptoms

The autonomic nerves control essential bodily functions like blood pressure, sweating, and heart rate.

• Heat intolerance
• Excessive sweating (or the opposite–not sweating at all)
• Dizziness or lightheadedness caused by drops in blood pressure
  

Three Ways We Help Manage Neuropathy Symptoms

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to address neuropathy before it becomes a significant problem.

Here are three techniques we often suggest:

1. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

• PRP therapy uses an injection derived from your body’s platelets to help repair damaged nerves. These platelets release growth factors that facilitate your body’s healing and regeneration, helping to reduce inflammation and pain while improving nerve function.

2. Massage Therapy

• Massage therapy gets the blood circulating, which helps deliver essential nutrients to the damaged nerves. As a result, you’ll experience less discomfort – whether pain, numbness, or tingling. Massage therapy can also help improve your mobility, which is sometimes affected by neuropathy.

3. Laser Therapy

• Laser therapy uses low-level light waves to stimulate nerve function, helping to reduce neuropathy-related pain.

By managing your neuropathy symptoms, you’ll find it easier to become physically active, which is essential in improving nerve health and function. Our team can also provide guidance on finding an exercise program that suits your needs, abilities, and interests.