08 Jan Neuropathy and Chiropractic Care
Do you suffer from the daily aches and pains of neuropathy? Neuropathy encompasses many disorders that deal with nerve damage and nerve dysfunction. These disorders can cause you many different types of symptoms. Our team can help diagnose and treat those symptoms and pain. Depending on the cause, we may be able to eliminate the condition completely or control it with regular chiropractic care and other related treatments. See what our chiropractic care and neuropathy treatments can do for you today!
Your Nervous System
Your body has many complex systems that help you function throughout your day. Just about every complex system is working for you day and night without you having to think about it. Your nervous system is one of those systems that help you detect hot and cold, textures and more. Essentially, your nervous system helps you understand your environment through all the 5 senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Touch is the most important sense when it comes to your nervous system, as the nerves in your body rely heavily on sensations. The central nervous system consists of your brain and spinal cord. Branching out from that system is the peripheral nervous system, or the system of nerves that run all throughout your body.
The nerves interpret your world through the senses and tell your brain what is happening around you. When pressure on a major peripheral nerve blocks its signal, you end up with a variety of symptoms. The most common symptom is numbness and tingling, especially in the extremities (such as the legs or feet). When you have a problem with your peripheral nervous system, it is called neuropathy.
Neuropathy and Nerve Damage
Neuropathy is a term used to describe many disorders that deal with nerve damage and nerve dysfunction. There are three main branches of neuropathy:
- Polyneuropathy – When damage irritates all of your peripheral nerves or at least some of them.
- Mononeuropathy – When a single nerve becomes damaged or compressed, such as with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or radial nerve palsy.
- Multiple Mononeuropathy – These conditions involve damage to two separate nerves at the same time.
Our patients with neuropathy generally experience several common symptoms among some of the following:
- Foot and ankle pain
- Numbness and tingling in the extremities and limbs
- Limited range-of-motion
- Weakness or tremors
- Headaches or migraines
- Chronic pain and fatigue
- Stiff neck muscles
- Inflammation in the knees, calves or shoulders
These are only some of the most common symptoms we see in our office, but it is possible to have other symptoms not listed here. Generally, patients will have more than one symptom at a time, which can make getting through their day (especially a work day) very difficult.
Origins of Your Symptoms
Neuropathy happens to millions of people and your chances for it increase with age. Neuropathy can happen with many chronic diseases or conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, Lyme disease, AIDS, HIV and more. Diseases and conditions that affect kidney and/or liver function often manifest neuropathy symptoms in patients. Unfortunately, about 30% of all neuropathy cases are diagnosed as “idiopathic”. This means that a doctor can find no clear cause of your pain or symptoms, which makes treatment very difficult. When receiving a diagnosis such as this, many patients feel that they must live with their symptoms. However, it doesn’t have to be that way!
Although 30% of neuropathy cases are idiopathic, that means that 70% are not. We have found that some cases can be corrected by making changes in your lifestyle. Alcoholism is a major factor in experiencing symptoms that affect your nervous system. This is especially true of addictions and habits that stretch over decades, as your nerves and other organs are severely damaged over time. Other causes we can help correct that lead to neuropathy symptoms include:
- Exposure to toxins and heavy metals
- Nutritional imbalances that lead to B-vitamin deficiencies
- Tumors that put pressure on nerves or nerve bundles
- A pinched nerve from turning or bending wrong
- Sudden trauma or daily habits, such as poor posture while working
Chiropractic Care and Neuropathy
Studies have found that chiropractic care and chiropractic adjustments can help patients with their neuropathy symptoms. This is especially true for patients who have diabetes and experience numbness and tingling on a regular basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 29 million Americans have diabetes. They estimate that 1 in 4 people also have diabetes, but don’t know it. However, many people will experience symptoms such as neuropathy that could signal the disease. Chiropractic care can help these patients with their symptoms.
Chiropractic care doesn’t seek to mask symptoms with medicine, like many medical approaches do. Our chiropractors provide natural, drugless and non-surgical health treatments to jump-start body’s inherent recuperative abilities. The nerves that connect to your spine are vital for feeling the rest of your body and functioning properly. Many people have misaligned spines, compressed nerves or other problems that cause nerve disorders. We can gently adjust your back and spine to relieve pressure on nerves, correct subluxations, relieve compressed or herniated discs and reduce inflammation. A series of chiropractic adjustments could restore proper alignment, improve your posture, relieve your symptoms and restore your flexibility and range-of-motion.
Receive Help for Your Health
Due to the numerous causes of neuropathy and the many services we have to rehabilitate our patients, it’s likely you’ll find a treatment at our office that can help you. Patients who have permanent nerve damage or chronic conditions find that electrostimulation and massage therapy helps their symptoms. Even if your neuropathy doesn’t have a cure, you can still find symptom relief with inflammation injections and physical therapy services. A chiropractic adjustment will benefit our patients who have diabetes or similar diseases. If you have neuropathy symptoms and want to know what to do about it, call Mile High Spine & Pain Center today at (720) 507-0080 for your free consultation!