What is Neuropathy?

What is Neuropathy and how do we treat it? 

Neuropathy is a term that describes disease or dysfunction of the nerves, usually affecting the hands and feet. Patients often have pain, dulled sensation, inability to feel temperature changes, or even difficulty moving their hands and feet. To make matters worse this painful condition is often not adequately controlled with standard medications, leaving patients frustrated.

The reason that these medications don’t help is because they’re targeted at the nerves themselves, not the underlying problem that’s leading to the problem in the first place. There are several diseases that can lead to Neuropathy and these include: diabetes, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism, liver disease, and cancer.

Luckily, the most common reasons for Neuropathy are diabetes (or pre-diabetes), thyroid imbalance, and vitamin B12 deficiencies. However, the number of people in the United States with these conditions is strikingly high. Diabetes and pre-diabetes alone are found in 115 million Americans! Thyroid conditions are found in 12% of the population and, interestingly, according to the American Thyroid Association, 60% of people that have a thyroid condition are completely unaware of it.

The Functional Medicine approach to Neuropathy is to first determine what’s causing the condition. This is done through metabolic testing and analyzing body chemistry for imbalances and previously undiagnosed problems. From there Functional Medicine uses a combination of dietary changes along with nutritional supplements to affect change – we don’t use more medications! Patients report relief from their pain, that they feel better and they’re often able to stop taking the Neuropathy medication altogether.

What is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy is a term that describes diseases or dysfunctions of the nerves, most commonly the peripheral nerves as opposed to the central nervous system. Thus, “Peripheral neuropathy” is a more appropriate designation in most cases.

When there is damage to the nerves in the extremities of the body – such as arms, hands, feet, or even mouth, eyes, skin – Peripheral neuropathy sets in. When this happens, the brain can’t communicate with the peripheral nerves, causing numbness and pain in the affected areas.

This form of neuropathy can affect more than one nerve (polyneuropathy) or only one nerve (mononeuropathy) at a time.

What is its most common cause of Peripheral Neuropathy:

(Diabetes type 2) and less common causes (B12 deficiency, thyroid being 2 of the most common and undiagnosed )

It’s estimated that more than 17 million people in Europe and the United States have developed diabetic polyneuropathy. There is a higher risk of diabetes-related polyneuropathy in individuals with poor control over their blood glucose, who smoke, regularly consume large amounts of alcohol and are over 40 years old.

In addition to diabetes, peripheral neuropathy has been associated with multiple conditions:

• Excessive alcohol consumption over many years
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Chronic liver and kidney disease
• Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels)
• Certain types of cancer (lymphoma and multiple myeloma)
• Leprosy
• Among other rare conditions and syndromes

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms are as varied as all the nerves or nerve groups that can be affected. However, the main types of symptoms include:

• Sensory neuropathy – inability to experience touch, temperature, pain and other physical sensations.
• Motor neuropathy – loss of motor skills and balance.
• Autonomic neuropathy – deregulation of automatic bodily functions, such as control of blood pressure, digestion or breathing.
• Mononeuropathy – damage to a single nerve or nerve group outside of the CNS.

Functional Medicine Options for Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy

There are many treatment options for peripheral neuropathy that do not include surgical or traditional methods. The following are used for alternative healing of the illness:

• transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
• plasma exchange and intravenous immune globulin
• physical therapy
• acupuncture
• peripheral neuropathy diet
• peripheral neuropathy supplementation

We look at a patient’s physiology, metabolism, hormone interactions, and the interplay of these factors together to create a treatment program that works individually for you.

For further inquiries or a consultation regarding these life-changing therapy options, use the form to the right or call us to schedule an appointment today at American Back Center in Chicago.