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Why Herniated Discs Can Cause Neuropathy

Have you been diagnosed with a herniated disc?

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If your herniated disc is putting pressure on nerves, you’re in danger of developing nerve damage and neuropathy wherever the nerves are affected.

If so, you probably have the usual symptoms[1]:

  • Low backache
  • Numbness (if the disc is actually pressing on a nerve)
  • Leg pain

Those symptoms are no surprise.

But what may be a surprise are other symptoms[2]:

  • Severe, sharp, electric shock-like, shooting pain
  • Deep burning or cold in the feet or legs
  • Numbness, tingling or weakness in the feet and legs that doesn’t go away
  • Radiating pain down the legs and into the feet
  • Muscle spasms and deep muscle pain

And those symptoms could be caused by neuropathy – a condition you probably never heard of until you developed a herniated disc.

So Why Does a Herniated Disc Cause Neuropathy?

A herniated disc alone may not cause you that much pain.  The pain you experience is caused by the disc putting pressure on the spinal cord and on nerve roots.  The location and intensity of the pain you experience depends on which nerves are affected by the herniated disc and where it’s putting pressure.

Let’s say the herniated disc is putting pressure on nerves that lead to your feet. You will probably feel pain and numbness in your feet.  The longer the pressure is on the nerve, the more the nerve will be damaged.  That nerve damage can lead to neuropathy in your feet.

The same applies to the nerves in any other part of the body.  If your herniated disc is putting pressure on nerves that affect that part of the body, you’re in danger of developing nerve damage and neuropathy wherever the nerves are affected.

If you have any of the neuropathy symptoms we listed above, you need to see your doctor, preferably your local NeuropathyDR® clinician, as soon as possible.  The longer you let the nerve damage go untreated, the more likely the damage will be permanent.

Treatment Options

When you’re diagnosed with a herniated disc and develop neuropathy, the first goals of treatment are:

  • Pain relief – first and foremost
  • Address any weakness or numbness in your feet, legs and lower back
  • Prevention of additional injuries

Find a clinician with extensive experience in treating herniated discs and the accompanying neuropathy issues.  Your local NeuropathyDR® clinician is an excellent place to start.

More than 90% of patients with herniated discs and neuropathy (if treated early on) will improve within 6 months without surgery.  But you need to get in to the doctor and start treatment at the first sign of problems.

Once you get in to see your NeuropathyDR® clinician, the treatment protocol will be adapted to address your particular issues.  For the most part, you can expect:

  • Bed rest followed by increased, prescribed and controlled activity
  • Chiropractic manipulation to get the spine back into proper alignment and take pressure off the herniated disc and nerves
  • Treatment with the ReBuilder™ treatment system to open up nerve channels and stimulate nerve repair
  • Exercises to reduce your pain and strengthen the muscles in the back
  • Dietary counseling to address any other underlying medical issues you may have

Contact us today for information on the best course of treatment to make sure that you’re herniated disc and compressive neuropathy are treated properly and promptly.  Save yourself years of back pain misery.

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

Even Healthy People Can Develop Neuropathy

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Diabetes…

Lupus…

Cancer and chemotherapy…

Any of these conditions can lead to peripheral neuropathy…

But what you might not realize is that you can develop peripheral neuropathy even if you’re perfectly healthy.

Athletes who take part in sports that require consistent overhead movement of the arms (like tennis, baseball, kayaking, volleyball) place a lot of strain on their shoulders.  That places them at a much higher risk of overuse injuries.

And that can lead to a very specific type of neuropathy – suprascapular neuropathy.

What is Suprascapular Neuropathy[1]?

Suprascapular neuropathy- that’s a real mouthful isn’t it?  It may sound complicated but it really isn’t.

Suprascalupar neuropathy is nerve damage to the suprascapular nerve – the nerve that runs from the brachial plexus (a group of nerves in the neck and shoulders) to nerves that help the body fully rotate the arms.  Suprascapular neuropathy causes shoulder pain and weakness and can lead to career ending pain for professional athletes or stop weekend warriors from doing what they love.

The most common symptoms of suprascapular neuropathy are[2]:

-   Deep, dull aching pain in the shoulder

-   Weakness or muscle pain

-   Frozen shoulder (inability to move the shoulder)

-  Numbness and tingling

If any of these symptoms are keeping you sidelined, talk to your doctor or your local NeuropathyDR® clinician today.

Exactly What Causes Suprascapular Neuropathy?

As the suprascapular nerve passes over the shoulder blade, it can be compressed and stretched.  When that happens repeatedly over a period of time, the nerve can become damaged and neuropathy develops. The first symptoms are usually pain and weakness when you try to rotate the shoulder.  More than just being uncomfortable, the pain can disrupt your life on a daily basis.

Imagine trying to put on a t-shirt or reach for a can on the top shelf of your pantry with a frozen or extremely painful shoulder…

If your experiencing any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor or your local NeuropathyDR® clinician immediately to determine if you have nerve damage.  You’ll need to start treatment immediately to prevent permanent damage.

What You Can Expect From Treatment

Your NeuropathyDR® clinician will start with nerve conduction studies to find out exactly where the nerves are damaged.  Electromyography will show exactly how severe the damage is.

Once you know for sure you have suprascapular neuropathy, the first step will be stop participating in the sport that caused the injury (until the damage is repaired).

Next, you’ll start a course of physical therapy and prescribed exercise.  Therapy will concentrate on maintaining your full range of motion and strengthening your shoulder muscles.

Your NeuropathyDR® clinician will employ a very specific treatment protocol depending on

-          The location of your injury and how severe it is

-          Your age, general health and typical activities

-          How long you’ve had your symptoms and whether or not they was caused by overuse or a specific injury

If your shoulder pain is keeping you on the bench and stopping you from participating in the sports you love or even from living a normal life, call your doctor or your local NeuropathyDR® clinician today.   Early intervention is one of the best ways to minimize the damage caused by suprascapular neuropathy and repair any nerve damage you may have suffered.

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

© Copyright 2012-Dr. John Hayes, Jr. Perfect Practice Web, LLC, NeuropathyDR®
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