Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral Neuropathy is the word used to describe disorders of the peripheral nerves. Even though over 20 million people in the United States suffer with Peripheral Neuropathy, information is hard to come by. Approximately fifty percent% of diabetics will develop the disease. Many individuals using statin pills may be affected by this not well recognized malady.

What Is Neuropathy

Neuropathy denotes “ailment or abnormality of the nervous system” which is not a really informative definition. We need to consider neuropathy as any INJURY to the nervous system. Carpal Tunnel disorder, herniated Discs and Strokes are all damage to various parts of the nervous system, all with different signs and symptoms. Diabetes is a systemic disease that affects all nerves of the body from the brain, eyes and nerves of the heart and digestive system, to the nerves in the hands, feet, and legs.

Peripheral Nerve Cells

The peripheral nervous system is comprised of the nerves that radiate of the spinal cord to all parts of the body.

Peripheral nerve cells have 3 main components: Cell body, axons, and dendrites (nerve/muscle junction ). Any section of the nerve could be affected, but damage to axons is most common. The axon transmits signals from the nerve cell to muscles and other parts of the body. Most axons are surrounded by a substance call myelin, which helps with signal transmission.

Peripheral Neuropathy Effects

There are 2 kinds of signs with peripheral neuropathy: negative and positive. Negative signs, which come first, are when damage to the nervous system brings about a LOSS of a particular function. For instance; loss of reflexes, loss of strength, loss of sensation like numbness. However these are almost never detectable to the patient, due to the fact that the brain makes up the difference in the losses. Only after some time do the sick and damaged nerves produce the positive symptoms of neuropathy; tingling, burning, , piercing, shooting pains. This too is a response of the brain and the nervous system, regrettably this over reaction tears apart the fiber of the individuals lives.

Each patient will describe their pain in their own particular language of ‘pain’. This can very easily confuse a doctor not trained in the recognition and treatment method of these patients. So the patient commonly continues to suffer, going from doctor to doctor, to stronger and stronger doses of medications until they are either entirely drugged up and ‘out of it’, or lost in their own world of pain.

Some neuropathies come on suddenly, others over many years. Some individuals are affected merely by a weakness in the arms and legs which leads to problems standing, walking, or getting out of a chair. The loss of sensation from the feet, ankles and toes contributes to patients not having a good sense of where there feet reside in space and that leads to them to fall very easily. These under-recognized sensory reductions can only be discovered with a proper professional exam. Our center has the needed tools to discover the underlying reason for this ‘silent’ nerve damage.

Some people will gradually become not able to walk whatsoever. Others begin with a tingling, pin pricking feeling that develops into sharp stabbing pains and burning electric shocks. These debilitating problems can also be at their worst in the evening while trying to get to sleep, because the PAIN never goes away. As a matter of fact, once started IT ONLY BECOMES WORSE!!

Presently, common medicine has no cure for peripheral neuropathy. The incredibly powerful drugs given to patients do NOT ADDRESS the NERVE DAMAGE! They numb the brain to numb the pain. A large number of patients can not endure a drugged life but think they have NO OTHER OPTION in fighting this terrible pain.

Tired Of Playing Games With Doctors?

Are you tired of running from doctor to doctor only to play “Russian Roulette” with different prescription medications for your condition? “Here try this drug, that didn’t work? Try this one!”

Are you fed up of taking drugs that don’t solve the problem? Do you struggle with burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in your feet and/or arms?

I am here to inform you that there is NEW HOPE!

Call Middle Georgia NeuroDoc at 478-746-PAIN (7246) to Schedule Your Free Consultation!