Neuropathy

Roughly 20 million people in the United States have some form of peripheral neuropathy following damage to the peripheral nervous system. What causes these high statistics? Neuropathy can strike from a wide range of locations for a wide range of reasons. Learn the most common causes and origins to better diagnose and treat your neuropathy symptoms.

Conditions that trigger neuropathy

Unfortunately, many kinds of neuropathy are termed idiopathic–there is no known cause. However, there are some known triggers for neuropathy to help you zero-in on what is at the root of your symptoms

Diabetes is the most common cause

Want to hear another reason for keeping your blood sugar under control? Diabetes is the most common cause of chronic peripheral neuropathy. High blood sugar levels damage the nerves resulting in varying neuropathy symptoms.

Medical conditions and injuries linked to neuropathy

Second to diabetes, are several other neuropathy causes such as:

  • Chronic kidney disease: kidney dysfunction triggers an imbalance of salts and chemicals which can cause peripheral neuropathy.
  • Injuries: Broken bones and accompanying casts can pressure directly nerves
  • Infections: Shingles, HIV infection, Lyme disease, and others can lead to nerve damage.
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome: This is a specific type of peripheral neuropathy, triggered by infection.
  • Some autoimmune disorders ( rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus)

Other causes include:

  • excessive alcohol intake
  • some drugs (chemotherapy and HIV treatment)
  • B12 or folate vitamin deficiencies
  • Poisons (insecticides and solvents)
  • some kinds of cancer (lymphoma and multiple myeloma)
  • chronic liver disease
  • Neuromas (benign tumors that affect nerve tissue)

Damage to blood vessels

Other neuropathic origins involve damage to your small blood vessels. Small blood vessels reduce the amount of blood reaching your nerves.  If nerves lack the necessary blood stores for repair and maintenance, tissue damage results. This nerve tissue damage can cause your peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

Neuropathy diagnosis is challenging and difficult because only an accurate and thorough evaluation may reveal the precise cause of neuropathy, which is the first step towards elaborating an effective treatment to address the root of the problem.

Treatment for your neuropathy

Prescription painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs should not be your go-to protocol when it comes to neuropathy.  Demand a thorough evaluation of your neuropathy symptoms and causes so you can avoid the negative side effects of medications. The only correct way to treat neuropathy is to identify the underlying cause and address the abnormality.

Treat the triggers, eliminate the symptoms

Controlling blood sugar levels, treating alcohol abuse, improving one’s nutrition, treating or managing autoimmune diseases, correcting the spinal, muscle or bone structural abnormalities through non-invasive, chiropractic therapies are some of the solid treatment strategies that need to be implemented in individual cases depending on the cause of neuropathy.

Improve nerve blood flow, reduce nerve irritation

One thing that all neuropathies have in common is dysfunctional blood flow to the nerve. All the treatment strategies that we employ at Spine Correction Center are designed to help the nerve regain its function by restoring its normal localized blood flow and then eliminating whatever is irritating the nerve.

Rehabilitation and chiropractic care effective approach

By incorporating medical treatment with rehabilitation, and chiropractic, we are achieving results with neuropathy where others have failed. Lifestyle adjustments, solid nutritional advice and treatment of collateral medical problems completes the holistic, non-invasive approach adopted by Spine Correction Center.

Call for a Neuropathy Consultation

If neuropathy pain is preventing you from activities you enjoy, schedule a consultation today to get to the source of your pain and dysfunction and to receive treatment. Call now for a FREE Consultation, (970) 658-5115, or simply contact us here. Consultations can be done online, via the phone, or in person.