The Healing Benefits of Natural Neuropathy Treatments

When complications arising from diabetes occur, they may result in the disruption of blood flow. This interruption causes fewer nutrients (oxygen and minerals) to reach most body organs, leading to a type of nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy.

Neuropathy itself is a nerve disease caused by nerve cell damage or dysfunction, hampering communication between the cells and the brain.

There are four main types of diabetic neuropathy:

• Autonomic Neuropathy: Affects mainly the nerves that control digestion, but it can also affect the nerves controlling heartbeat, sex organs, and blood vessels.
• Mononeuropathy: This can occur in any specific nerve.
• Peripheral Symmetric Neuropathy: Affects mainly the hands, arms, legs, and feet.
• Proximal Neuropathy: Affects the thighs, buttocks, hips, and legs.

Diabetic neuropathy progresses over time, with symptoms getting worse with time. Here’s all you need to know about neuropathy’s causes, symptoms, and management.

Diabetic Neuropathy Causes

Uncontrolled high blood sugar damages the nerves over time, which is thought to be the number one cause of diabetic neuropathy. Anyone with diabetes stands a high risk of developing neuropathy. Although there is no precise reason why or how this happens, there are factors that make you susceptible to diabetic neuropathy, including:

• Uncontrolled or Excessive Blood Sugar Levels: Excessive blood sugar levels put you at risk of all complications that arise from diabetes, including nerve damage.
• Kidney Damage: Kidney damage inhibits proper excretion of some toxins, leading to nerve damage.
• Smoking: Smoking results in reduced blood flow to the legs and feet because it causes the narrowing and hardening of arteries.  
• Diabetes History: The longer you have had diabetes, the more likely diabetic-related neuropathy can occur.

Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the type of neuropathy and the nerves affected, but in general, they include:

• Gastrointestinal symptoms like constipation, bloating, nausea, or even diarrhea
• Difficulty standing up after sitting for long
• Ulcers
• Infections
• Tingling, muscle weakness, numbness, or pain
• Loss of feeling in the arms, hands, or feet
• Double vision
• Aching behind one eye
• Deformities
• Bone and joint pain

A reputable chiropractic clinic can offer relief for most, if not all, of these symptoms, allowing you to get back to your normal duties.

How to Treat Diabetic Neuropathy

As mentioned earlier, anyone with diabetes can get diabetes-related neuropathy, so the first and best thing to do is monitor and manage your blood sugar levels.

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for the condition, and treatment only aims to slow down its progression. It includes using:

• Anticonvulsants: These include Pregabalin prescriptions to ease the pain. Gabapentin and Sodium valproate may also be given when other effects, such as weight gain, are present.
• Antidepressants: These include Duloxetine or Amitriptyline to reduce unpleasant sensations.
• Opioids: These include Oxycodone, Dextromethorphan, Tramadol, and Morphine. However, these are rarely prescribed because they have a high risk of rendering someone dependent after prolonged usage.
• NSAIDs (painkiller): Common painkillers such as paracetamol to ease the pain.
• Spinal Cord Stimulation: A spinal cord stimulator is a pacemaker-like device implanted between the epidural gap (space between the spinal cord and the vertebrae). It delivers electrical pulses to the spinal cord to help manage chronic pain when other medications fail to provide relief.

Diabetic neuropathy is a painful condition that causes many discomforts and can even be debilitating. However, by taking the correct measures to manage blood sugar levels, you can prevent it from getting worse.

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Most people think of chiropractors as treating a few specific problems. If they have a sore back or a crick in their neck, the chiropractor is the first person they call.

What you may not realize is that your trusted chiropractor treats far more conditions and symptoms than you realize. One of those conditions is neuropathy. This painful problem affects tens of millions of Americans including up to 70% of people with diabetes.

What is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy, to be general, is damage to the nerves. Most of the time when people talk about neuropathy, they’re talking about peripheral neuropathy. This is neuropathy in your limbs like your arms, legs, feet, and hands.

When these nerves are damaged, it leads to painful or unsettling symptoms. You may have tingling or a pins-and-needles type of pain in the area. You might also feel numbness in the area.

There are many potential causes of neuropathy. Over time, the high blood sugar of diabetes can damage your nerves, especially if the diabetes isn’t well-controlled.

Nerve damage can also come from injuries. These include both traumatic injuries and stress injuries from repeated use. Any illness that limits your blood flow can cause neuropathy. So can a variety of other conditions like certain autoimmune disorders.

Can Chiropractors Help With Neuropathy?

If you’re suffering from neuropathy, you have other options besides prescription pain medications. Chiropractic treatment has been shown to often make great improvements in neuropathy.

In fact, our unique clinic offers even more ways to treat neuropathy. In addition to skilled chiropractic care, our team provides whole-body vibration, infrared sauna sessions, and custom nutritional planning. This combination addresses your neuropathy from multiple angles for stronger results.

How Do Chiropractors Treat Neuropathy?

How exactly can a chiropractor treat neuropathy? The answer is surprisingly simple.

Your body is an ornate collaboration between bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and more, all tightly packed together. In some cases, misalignments in your body put excess pressure on specific nerves, leading to damage. Chiropractors use precise adjustments to relieve pressure on nerves to allow the nerves to heal.

Another common reason for neuropathy is a lack of blood flow. Your nerves, like everything else in your body, use blood to get their oxygen and nourishment. Unfortunately, misalignments in your body can restrict your blood flow. This deprices the nerves of the blood they need.

Our Doctors of Chiropractic can fine-tune your alignment to promote healthier blood flow throughout the area. Depending on your condition and how advanced it is, that refreshed blood flow can put your nerves on the path to recovery.

Taking the Pain Away: Chiropractic Care for Neuropathy

Neuropathy, including peripheral neuropathy, is a painful long-term condition that can make a dramatic difference in your daily life. The effects are even greater if you become dependent on opioid pain medications as a result. 

Instead, call our chiropractic team to learn more about the answer to the common question, “Can chiropractors help with neuropathy?”