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A lot of people hear that there is no cure for neuropathy, and they get discouraged. Not Susan…

A lot of people hear that there is no cure for neuropathy, and they get discouraged. They resign themselves to the idea that they will live with their symptoms forever, and might never find relief. One of our favorite things is being able to dispel this misconception and let someone know that NeuropathyDR® has the means to lessen their pain and improve their life. “No cure” isn’t the same thing as “no help!”

A great example of a patient we have been able to help with the NeuropathyDR® methodology is Susan. Susan is a diabetic in middle age who has suffered for more than twenty years with neuropathy symptoms. Most prominently, Susan has tingling and severe pain in her feet, with the same problem less severely in her hands and arms. Susan’s pain was so bad that she had trouble telling hot from cold, and even experienced trouble walking.

When she came to us, Susan was taking prescription-strength Advil several times a week for the pain in her hands and feet. Medication has its place, and can be effective in some cases, but it is too often the first—and last—course of action people with neuropathy are given. NeuropathyDR® takes a different approach. We use newer, non-pharmaceutical methods that have been proven to reduce pain and numbness in cases like Susan’s. We are pleased to report that after applying the NeuropathyDR® protocols, Susan’s symptoms subsided drastically and her quality of life began to improve by leaps and bounds.

footCMT 200x300 A lot of people hear that there is no cure for neuropathy, and they get discouraged. Not Susan...

Welcome relief at the hands of highly trained NeuropathyDR professionals!

Especially in the short term, we want to help reduce the overall level of chronic pain and restore any mobility that might be lost. In a case like Susan’s, the NeuropathyDR® protocols target three specific areas of treatment:

Specifically-directed manual therapies to correct aberrant motion or misalignment in areas of the spine and pelvis, as well as addressing the soft tissue contractures in the neck, legs, feet, arms, and hands.
Our NeuropathyDR® nutrition protocol, consisting of a daily regimen of combined nutrients that have been proven to be supportive of the nervous system in slowing the progression of neuropathy and healing damage.
Finally, the application of ReBuilder neuro-stimulation in the affected areas. We use a waveform treatment in the office and at home that opens up nerve pathways to let them heal.

Susan came back for a round of treatments with us three times a week for five weeks, for a total of fifteen treatments. Following each treatment, Susan reported that the level of pain and tingling had subsided by two-thirds or more!

After applying the NeuropathyDR® protocol, Susan noticed a terrific improvement in her lifestyle. In her own words, her energy level tripled, and the inflammation and pain in her feet had reduced by ninety percent. Our objective tests, going by a round before and after the treatments, showed that Susan’s range of motion without pain had also increased, and her ability to sense heat, cold, and vibration had drastically improved. Perhaps the biggest lifestyle-boost of all, Susan experienced much less pain when walking after applying the NeuropathyDR® methods for five weeks.

We followed up with Susan three months after her treatments with us, and she was continuing to do extremely well. She has been diligent about keeping up her assigned home-care treatments, and she visits her clinician as-needed for checkups. Since Susan has struggled with symptoms of diabetic neuropathy for more than twenty years, this kind of progress makes her a real success story!

If you have neuropathy symptoms, whether they are similar to Susan’s or a completely different kind, we are here to help! Remember; never wait when it comes to neuropathy—the sooner we establish there is a problem, the more a clinician will be able to help you! Contact us, and we can put you in touch with a NeuropathyDR® clinician who is specially trained to treat you.

Do You Have Peripheral Neuropathy?

If you have

Diabetics are not the only people susceptible to peripheral neuropathy in their feet and hands.

Diabetes
Cancer (and you’re undergoing chemotherapy)
Shingles
HIV/AIDS
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Exposure to toxins

You have a pretty good idea of what to expect from your disease. Your doctor has probably given you a list of symptoms that you’re likely to experience, if you’re not experiencing them already.

But if in addition to the symptoms you were expecting, you’re having[1]

Swelling in your feet, legs or hands
Muscle cramps in your legs
Changes in your skin and nails
Numbness in your feet and hands
Inability of feel heat or cold
Sleepless nights due to pain
Muscle weakness
Painful burning and itching in your hands or feet
Feeling like you’re wearing gloves or socks when you’re not

You could be developing another symptom that your doctor might not have told you about.

And it could cause permanent nerve damage.

You could have peripheral neuropathy in your feet and/or hands.

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy[2] is a condition that develops when your peripheral nerves are damaged. That damage can occur because of your diabetes, as a result of toxic chemotherapy, nerves being damaged by shingles, a lack of oxygen to the nerves caused by some other underlying condition or even as a result of HIV.

If you have the symptoms listed above, the nerves in your hands and feet have probably been damaged by your illness.

Granted, when you’re dealing with the debilitating effects of diabetes or cancer or HIV/AIDS, peripheral neuropathy may sound like nothing to really worry about.

But you know how miserable it is to have constant nerve pain…to be unable to feel the simplest sensation in your hands and feet…or on the opposite end of the spectrum, to go to bed at night and be so hypersensitive that even the sheets touching your hands and feet is torture.

How Serious is Hand/Foot Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy can be very serious. How many diabetic patients have you seen with amputations below the knee?

Those amputations are usually caused by damage to the circulatory and nervous system caused by their diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy plays a big part in these complications.

Diabetics are not the only people susceptible to peripheral neuropathy in their feet and hands. If you are taking chemotherapy, if you have HIV/AIDS, if you’ve had shingles, or even if you’ve had some other infectious disease, you’re a candidate for peripheral neuropathy.

The damage caused by peripheral neuropathy can be so gradual that you don’t think much about it.

One day you have a small cut on one of your feet. The nerves in your feet are damaged so you don’t really feel it and you don’t know it’s there if you don’t pay really close attention to the condition of your feet.

That small wound becomes infected. Your immune system and circulatory system are compromised so the tissue doesn’t heal properly. Before you know it, you have a serious infection and you lose your foot.

You’re a little less likely to have that problem with your hands simply because you see them all the time and you’re much more likely to notice if something is wrong. That means you’ll seek treatment faster.

What To Do If You Think You’re Developing Peripheral Neuropathy
The first thing you need to do is make sure your treating physician is aware of the problems you’re having with your feet and hands. Then you can take steps to help yourself.

First, find a local medical professional specializing in treating patients with peripheral neuropathy, like a NeuropathyDR® clinician. Make an appointment as soon as possible.

To get ready for your appointment –

Make note of what your underlying conditions are
Make a list of all medications you take
Write down when you first noticed your symptoms
Write down all of your symptoms
Write down what your typical daily diet looks like

Get started with treatment as quickly as possible to avoid additional nerve damage and possibly even reverse the damage that’s already there. Your NeuropathyDR® clinician will work with you to treat your symptoms, adjust your diet if you’re not eating like you should in light of your underlying condition and give you information and help on coping with the effects of peripheral neuropathy.

It’s critical that you seek treatment immediately.

For more information on determining whether or not you have peripheral neuropathy and how to cope with it if you do, get your Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine “Beating Neuropathy” at http://neuropathydr.com.

[1] http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/detail_peripheralneuropathy.htm
[2] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peripheral-neuropathy/DS00131/METHOD

Answering the “Why” of Neuropathy

If you’ve been diagnosed with neuropathy as a result of

Neuropathy doesn’t just affect the hands and feet.

Diabetes
HIV/AIDS or some other autoimmune disease
Chemotherapy
Shingles
Heredity

You probably have more questions than answers.

Neuropathy is probably the one symptom you never expected when you received your diagnosis.

To understand why you developed neuropathy, it helps to understand exactly what neuropathy is.

What Is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy[1] is a condition caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system controls communication between your brain and your spinal cord and every other part of your body. When you pick up a hot pan and feel the pain of the burn, that’s the peripheral nervous system at work.

When the peripheral nervous system is damaged by whatever your other condition is, the communication super highway of the peripheral nervous system is disrupted. The signals from the brain and spinal cord don’t make it to whatever part of the body is affected by your neuropathy. It’s like going into a dead zone with your cell phone and not having any “bars”. Your nerves just don’t make the proper connection.

And neuropathy doesn’t just affect the hands and feet. It can affect your digestive system, your cardiovascular system, your reproductive system, even your brain.

What Causes Neuropathy?

Any number of things can cause your neuropathy. Here are a couple of common examples:

If you have diabetes and your blood glucose levels aren’t controlled and have been high for significant period of time, the blood vessels that carry oxygen to your nerves can be damaged. Sort of like a potted plant that doesn’t get enough sunlight or water. Your nerves will wither and cease to function, just like your sunlight deprived plant.

If you HIV/AIDS or some other autoimmune disease, your immune system begins to attack your body and that can include your nervous system. That causes damage to the peripheral nerves.

Any of the conditions we discussed earlier can cause neuropathy because they all can damage your nervous system. The damage and the part of the nervous system damaged can vary as much as the patients with neuropathy but any of these illnesses places you at a much higher risk than the average person for developing neuropathy.

What Happens Once Those Nerves Are Damaged?

If your nervous system is damaged you can experience[2]

Numbness in your arms, hands, legs and feet
Inability to feel heat, cold or even pain in your arms, hands, legs and feet
Burning or tingling or even the “pins and needles” feeling you get when your legs or arms “go to sleep”
Changes in the shape of your feet caused by weakened muscles
Carpal tunnel syndrome

If your neuropathy affects your autonomic nervous system, you can experience

Digestive problems like nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea
Erectile dysfunction
Irregular heart beat
Loss of bladder control
Inability to regulate your blood pressure

Your NeuropathyDR® specialist has an exclusive treatment protocol with proven results for neuropathy patients. An integral part of that treatment protocol is nutrition counseling and diet planning. Your specialist will sit down with you and plan your meals to include the proper portions of each of these categories on a daily basis to make sure that your blood sugar remains as constant as possible.

Assess your current medical situation and take note of any of the symptoms we described. If you are experiencing any of these issues associated with neuropathy, contact your local NeuropathyDR® and take full advantage of their expertise in the treatment of neuropathies.

For more information on coping with diabetic neuropathy, get your Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine “Beating Neuropathy” at http://neuropathydr.com.

[1] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peripheral-neuropathy/DS00131/METHOD

[2] http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/detail_peripheralneuropathy.htm

Making the Most of Your Time with Your Doctor to Treat Your Peripheral Neuropathy

If you’ve been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, chances are that diagnosis was made by your family doctor.

The longer you wait, the more severe and potentially permanent your nerve damage can be.

Chances are even better that he’s sent you to a specialist to confirm that diagnosis and begin immediate treatment (if you’re lucky).

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy as a result of[1]:

Diabetes
Shingles
Chemotherapy
HIV/AIDS or some other immune deficiency disease
Exposure to toxins
Alcohol or drug abuse

If your treating physician hasn’t referred you to a specialist, one of the best things you can do is request a referral to a specialist in treating peripheral neuropathy, like your local NeuropathyDR® clinician.

Once that referral is made, you need to take advantage of every minute you have with your specialist. Peripheral neuropathy is not a condition forgiving of delayed treatment. The longer you wait, the more severe and long-lasting (potentially permanent) your nerve damage can be.

So What Should You Do?

First, realize that your appointment with your specialist is much more than just time blocked on both your schedules. It’s a chance to take your life back. If you have peripheral neuropathy, your body is at war and this is your chance to win.

You want to be prepared so you can take advantage of every minute and get started with an effective treatment program ASAP.

To do that, you need to[2]

Write your symptoms down, even if you don’t think they have anything to do with your peripheral neuropathy. Making a list will ensure that you don’t forget anything.
Make a list of every medication you take. That includes vitamins, herbal supplements and anything over the counter. Those liquid glucosamine drinks you may be taking to alleviate joint pain count as a medication.
Line up someone to go with you, either a family member or a friend. You’ll want someone there to write down what the doctor tells you. There’s no way you’ll remember it all.
Write down any questions you want to ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question so ask about anything you’re not sure about.

Here are a few samples:

What causes peripheral neuropathy?
Does everyone have the same symptoms or are mine different?
What else could be causing my symptoms?
Are there any tests I need?
What are my chances of a full recovery?
Will the treatment you’re prescribing have any side effects?
What are my treatment options?
Do you have any reading material I can take home to learn more about peripheral neuropathy?

These are just suggestions so don’t limit yourself to these questions. Again, write down anything you’re not sure about.

Be Ready to Help Your Doctor

Depending on your symptoms, your underlying medical conditions and any other issues that are specific to you and your peripheral neuropathy, your doctor will ask you quite a few questions.

To make the most efficient use of your time with him, do what you can to help him. Think about the answers to these basic questions before your appointment:

Do you have any underlying medical conditions (like the ones we listed above?)
When did you first notice your symptoms?
How often do you experience your symptoms? Do you have problems at specific times of the day or after any specific activity?
On a scale of 1 to 10, (1 being mild and 10 being severe), how would you rate your symptoms?
Have you noticed anything that makes your symptoms better or worse?

Just thinking about these questions ahead of time and actually putting together answers will make your time with your NeuropathyDR® clinician or other specialist more efficient and productive. You’ll both be much happier with the result if you know what to expect.

And don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for suggestions to help you manage your peripheral neuropathy symptoms. Your NeuropathyDR® clinician specializes in treating the whole patient, including recommending lifestyle changes, preparing diet plans, whatever it takes to make your treatment plan effective for you.

We hope this gives you a head start on taking charge of your peripheral neuropathy and making sure that you and your medical professional get the most out of your time together.

For more information on treating and recovering from peripheral neuropathy, get our Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine “Beating Neuropathy” at http://neuropathydr.com.

[1] http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchicago.edu/faq/

[2] http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Living_Ten_Questions