Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment in Atlanta
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where the nerves in the hands and feet are damaged causing weakness, burning pain, numbness, tingling, and debilitating balance problems. There are many different causes of peripheral neuropathy, but they all result from the same basic problem: low blood flow to the peripheral nerves. There are hundreds of conditions that can lead to dysfunctional blood flow to nerves. When there is not enough blood flowing to any part of the body, it will begin to degenerate and eventually lose its ability to function correctly.
What is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a more general term that means "Nerve Problem." If someone is suffering with Peripheral Neuropathy, it means that there is a problem with their nerves outside of their brain and spinal cord. Peripheral specifically refers to the nerves in outside of the central nervous system.
Types of Peripheral Neuropathy
There are two types of peripheral neuropathy: Large Fiber Mono-Neuropathy and Small Fiber Poly-Neuropathy.
Mono Neuropathy
Large Fiber Mono-Neuropathy is more common and usually begins at the spine. Symptoms of this type of neuropathy usually begin with pain in the neck, back, or buttocks and progress with numbness, pain, or tingling sensations down the legs or arms until it finally reaches the hands or feet. This type of peripheral neuropathy is usually caused by slips, falls, traumas, accidents, or other injuries.
Poly Neuropathy
Small Fiber Poly Neuropathy is, unfortunately, becoming more prevalent in America with estimates as high as 46.5 million people suffering with this condition. This type of neuropathy is what most people are referring to when they say "peripheral neuropathy" because it affects the nerves that are furthest away from the central nervous system, like the nerves in fingers, toes, hands and feet.
Neuropathy Pain
Neuropathy pain can be both debilitating and excruciatingly painful. Neuropathy pain can occur in both the hands and the feet, or worse, both.
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People with peripheral neuropathy can experience:
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Numbness
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Tingling
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Burning
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Electric shocks
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Stabbing
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Pain at night
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Restlessness (especially at night)
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And more
What Causes Neuropathy?
Diabetes is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. To learn more about specifically diabetic neuropathy, visit our diabetic neuropathy page HERE.
Neuropathy is a condition caused by lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet eventually leading to the degeneration of the nerves. When the nerves are damaged in this way, it can lead to numbness, tingling, and pain in the affected areas. The natural questing, then, is what causes the blood vessels to dysfunction in the first place?
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Physiological Dysfunction:
Type 2 Diabetes is the most common causes of neuropathy. Other physiological dysfunctions can cause peripheral neuropathy as well. Heart disease, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and stroke can all cause peripheral neuropathy.
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Chemical Causes:
Chemicals that get into our body by accident or by choice can have dramatic impacts on our health, including on our blood vessels. Medications such as anti-inflammatories or statins for cholesterol, chemotherapy and radiation, or Agent Orange exposure can all disrupt blood flow in our arms and legs. Lifestyle choices like excessive alcohol or tobacco use and even excessive sugar consumption can contribute to peripheral neuropathy.
Physical/Traumatic Causes:
Physical or traumatic causes of neuropathy typically cause the large fiber mono-neuropathies, like sciatica pain. Although traumas and accidents can contribute to the peripheral type as well as being a sole cause of peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy is not solely an age-related issue. Neuropathy can affect people of all ages depending on the cause.
Typical Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy
The truth is that people who suffer with Peripheral Neuropathy will get worse if the disease continues unchecked. Medical treatment includes physical therapy exercises, medications, injections and surgery. Unfortunately, most of the time, these treatments do not address the underlying causes of the neuropathy and work more to help ease the pain than actually allowing the nerves to regrow. At Evolve, our treatment is designed to regrow the peripheral nerves allowing the pain to subside sustainably and permanently.
Neuropathy Prognosis
With conventional treatments, it is a near certainty that the nerve damage and loss will continue and worsen. If the nerve loss becomes severe enough, the patients mobility might become so reduced that they need to use a wheelchair.
As the nerves degenerate more and more, the body is unable to heal wounds as well. Without being able to feel the bottom of the feet or hands, it is common to have cuts and bruises on the feet and hands. Unfortunately, these wounds do not heal effectively due to the loss of nerve function and blood flow associated with peripheral neuropathy. It is for this reason that sometimes, it is necessary to remove parts of the feet and hands, which obviously has a lasting impact of the patient's quality of life.
Fortunately, our treatment options for peripheral neuropathy are highly effective in not only stopping the progression of this disease, but reversing the effects and helping the body to actually regenerate the nerves in the hands and feet.
Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment at Evolve
Our treatment protocol for peripheral neuropathy is a four-pronged approach to help your nerves heal:
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1. Reduce inflammation and increase alkalinity - In the same way that plants need good soil to grow in, healing your nerves happens best if your body is optimized for healing.
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2. Stimulating the nerves to grow - Traditional TENs units can actually cause more damage to your nerves. Our system has been specifically created to stimulate the nerves to start healing without causing any damage to your nerves.
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3. Increase blood flow to the nerves - Without enough blood flow, the nerves will not receive enough nutrients to regrow. If you already have diabetic ulcers, increasing blood flow will help your immune system heal them and help you keep your feet!
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4. Heal the nervous system - If there is any interference in the nervous system, the peripheral nerves won't get enough support from the brain to function properly, stopping the healing process before it even starts!