~~Do You Have Peripheral Neuropathy? It’s More Common Than You Think and It May be Causing Your Symptoms!
Vol 17 Issue 7
Many people think of peripheral neuropathy as the tingling, pain and numbness in the feet experienced by diabetics. But, in fact, peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to any part of the nervous system outside the spine and brain. It affects at least 20 million people in the U.S. – although several times that many may have it without knowing it. Some experts say that one in every five people will be affected by it at some point in their lifetime.
Why is it Important to Treat Peripheral Neuropathy?
Every organ, gland, system and function in the body is dependent upon the nervous system. We blink our eyes, metabolize food, feel pain as a warning sign, feel sexual sensation, perceive that we’re hungry, detoxify the body, hear music playing, taste good food, relax, enjoy sports and other physical activity – it goes on and on. The brain sending signals throughout the body by way of peripheral nerves is what keeps us alive and kicking.
Any damage to nerve tissue causes this system to break down, which then leads to illness, chronic and degenerative disease, disability, and a lot of pain and suffering.
What Causes Peripheral Neuropathy?
The list is long – everything from diabetes, infections, inflammation, injury, repetitive stress or other physical trauma, exposure to toxic chemicals, poor nutrition, alcoholism, some drugs, protein abnormalities, damage to the veins, blood diseases, lack of oxygen and kidney damage to heredity. And some people develop it without doctors ever finding out why.
How Would I know I Have Peripheral Neuropathy?
As the peripheral nerves spread throughout the body, peripheral neuropathy can result in many different symptoms and conditions. Numbness, tingling, prickling sensations, sensitivity to touch, muscle weakness or muscles wasting away, burning pain, paralysis, any kind of organ or gland dysfunction, inability to digest food properly, high blood pressure, abnormal sweating, lack of sexual function – these are the most common. But just aout any symptom is suspect.
How Can Chiropractic Help?
In addition to analyzing the spine, muscles and nerves to see if the body has actually been damaged by trauma or repetitive motion and treating the damaged areas with gentle manipulation, soft tissue work and other physical therapy, many chiropractors will also assess for nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, toxins, glandular stress or dysfunction and other conditions that could be cause the neuropathy.
If you are having any of the above symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, or have symptoms that have not yet been successfully diagnosed and treated, ask your chiropractor to assess you for possible peripheral neuropathy.
Treatment could help relieve the symptoms, reverse illness, degeneration or dysfunction, restore sensation and mobility, and prevent things from getting even worse. Tens of millions of people could change their lives with the correct diagnosis and treatment of peripheral neuropathy.