What is Neuropathy, Everything You Need to Know

Neuropathy is a condition causing feet numbness. The disease is common in America among other areas worldwide, affecting quite a significant number of individuals. Neuropathy is a painful condition, which may affect your daily life.

Daily foot care, healthy lifestyles, including healthy diets, are essential in controlling the condition. If you are looking to treat neuropathy in Columbus, Medical Wellness Group has got you covered. Contact their offices today to learn more so they can help you.

What is neuropathy?

Neuropathy occurs due to nerve damage, particularly the peripheral nerves running from the spinal cord to your body. The condition may also result from health conditions such as diabetes. Neuropathy may also refer to various health problems involving peripheral nerve damage.

Symptoms

Neuropathy develops gradually, and the symptoms may depend on the cause of the disease. You may experience symptoms such as:

• Pain in hands and feet
• Loss of coordination
• Temporary or permanent numbness
• Increased sensitivity to touch
• Burning or tingling sensation
• Muscle weakness
• Cramps
• Impairment to urination and sexual function
• Dysfunction in organs or glands

In a case where neuropathy affects the autonomic nerves, you may experience blood pressure problems, gastrointestinal issues, and reduced temperature regulation.

What causes neuropathy?

The nerve damage leading to neuropathy may occur in various ways, including affecting nerve axons, myelin sheath, or both. Neuropathy may result from

Various health conditions

• Diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, resulting from poorly managed diabetes.
• Idiopathic neuropathy has no known cause and covers about 23% of the total cases.
• HIV/AIDS effects on your body or the medications, which affects about 2% of total neuropathy cases
• Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, affecting 10% of the total cases

Nutrient deficiencies, including unbalanced diets, also cause neuropathy. It includes:

• Vitamin B12 Deficiency neuropathy is common in patients aged 60 and above. The deficiency harms the myelin sheath that encloses and protects nerves, hence neuropathy
• Copper deficiency also leads to neuropathy, although rare
• Excess nutrient consumption can be toxic to the nerves, like too much B6
• Exposure to toxins in food

Other causes include:

• Infections
• Autoimmune disorders
• Genetics
• Repetitive injury

Treatment

After determining the exact cause of your neuropathy, your provider develops a personalized treatments plan, which may include:

• Medications to relieve pain
• Chiropractic care which helps reduce inflammation, muscle tension which may be compressing the nerves, and improve overall body functions.
• Nerve stimulation relieves symptoms.
• Regenerative medicine including, stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma injections, enhancing the body’s natural healing ability
• Nonsurgical spinal decompression system

You can also improve your neuropathy condition by taking proper nutrition and healthy diets. Regular exercise can also help with muscle weakness and pain.

You can prevent neuropathy by proper management of underlying chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Summary

Neuropathy is a painful condition that occurs as a result of peripheral nerve damage. The causes of nerve damage may vary from underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, nutritional deficiency, autoimmune conditions, and trauma. At Medical Wellness Group, the neuropathy experts offer comprehensive treatments to relieve your symptoms and improve your health.

If neuropathy affects your daily routine, please contact the specialists at Medical Wellness Group today to prevent complications.