Neuropathy

Overview

Have you recently experienced a tingling sensation in your arms or legs? Or have you recently been in an accident and been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy? An integrative neuropathy treatment with us might be just what you need for overall wellness. Here's what you should know about integrative approaches to managing symptoms of neuropathy.

What is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy involves the damage to one or multiple nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system. It is sometimes also referred to as peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral nerves are important for sending signals to and from the body's central nervous system. Damage to these nerves can affect the entire body depending on the severity of the condition and type of nerve affected:

• sensory neuropathy — affects nerves involved with touch, temperature, and pain
• motor neuropathy — affects nerves related to movement and speech
• autonomic neuropathy — affects organs that control digestion, breathing, the heart, and various glands

Patients with neuropathy may experience some or all of the following symptoms:

• pain
• tingling
• numbness
• muscle weakness
• trouble moving hands and legs
• trouble swallowing
• lightheadedness
• bladder issues
• problems regulating body temperature

What Are the Causes of Neuropathy?

There are numerous reasons why patients may acquire neuropathy. These include:

• physical injury from sports, accidents, and falls
• hormonal imbalances
• nutritional deficiencies and vitamin imbalances
• medical procedures
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• viral infections
• diabetes
• blood disorders
• thyroid disorders
• autoimmune diseases
• cancer
• chemotherapy-induced
• genetic mutations

What Are the Benefits of Integrative Approaches to Neuropathy?

There are multiple benefits to undergoing an integrative treatment to manage the symptoms of neuropathy. Treatment offered will depend on the severity and location of the nerve damage, but integrative approaches are non-narcotic in nature and typically non-invasive. These can include:

• changes to the diet, especially in patients with Celiac Disease who often experience unexplained neuropathy symptoms
• acupuncture and electroacupuncture, studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, and HIV-related neuropathy
• yoga
• meditation
• herbal supplements
• tai-chi
• massage
• reiki

What to Expect During an Integrative Neuropathy Session

If you've never been to an integrative neuropathy treatment session, you might be wondering what to expect during your first appointment. A trained clinician at PRACTICENAME} will begin by asking you a comprehensive set of questions to determine your current health status, including the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy that you may be experiencing. From there, your doctor will prescribe one or several different forms of therapies to manage your neuropathy symptoms.

As previously mentioned, these are non-invasive and typically painless, and last an hour in length. A typical therapy plan consists of weekly sessions of one or two forms of integrative treatments. It can last up to several weeks on a consistent basis before spacing out to once a month and then gradually every couple of months. Most patients see noticeable results with one to two weeks of regular therapy and come back for treatment to maintain their overall wellness levels.

For more information about our integrative approaches to neuropathy, contact Martinez Wellness Center at (555) 555-5555.