That tingling sensation you’re feeling in your hands and feet isn’t something you want to overlook, as it may be the first indication of neuropathy, a serious condition that is the result of damage to your nerves. It affects approximately 20 million people in the United States and is not caused by a single disease. Instead, many conditions and events can lead to the development of neuropathy, but diabetes is said to be responsible for up to 70% of cases. Chemotherapy, HIV, shingles, autoimmune disease, infections, nutrient deficiencies, hereditary disorders, kidney disease and physical trauma are other known causes of neuropathy. And 23% of cases still don’t have a known cause.
Regardless, experiencing symptoms of neuropathy or receiving an official diagnosis is a terrifying experience that feels like your body is betraying you right before your eyes. This affects you on a physical level, while also taking a serious toll on your mental and emotional health as well. The good news is that some cases of neuropathy can easily be treated and yes, even cured and even those that cannot have a variety of treatment options that aim to control and manage symptoms to prevent further damage and stop progression in its tracks. Some treatment options require a trip to a medical office or even a scheduled surgery, whereas others treatments are entirely non-invasive, natural and can even be done right at home. But it all comes down to the specific symptoms and potential causes you’re experiencing, which is exactly what we’re going to get into today so you can narrow in on the best and most effective form of treatment for you.
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What is Neuropathy?
Neuropathy is not a single health condition, which can make it quite confusing to understand. Instead, it’s a general term used to describe any type of damage to or malfunction of the nerves. So, to put it simply, if the nerves become damaged in any way, whether it’s due to injury or disease, it is neuropathy. It typically starts in the hands and feet and consists of symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, muscle weakness and pain in the affected area. However, it can be felt in other parts of the body as well.
You may have even heard of ‘peripheral neuropathy’, which is basically the same thing – a term used to describe a type of damage to the nervous system. The only difference is that peripheral neuropathy occurs specifically with your peripheral nervous system, whereas neuropathy is a much broader term. As for your peripheral nervous system, it is a network of nerves that reside outside of your brain and spinal cord, and that are responsible for sending information from your brain to the rest of your body. The nerves are separated into two main parts – the ‘autonomic nervous system’ and ‘somatic nervous system’. Understanding the differences between the two will help you determine what type of neuropathy you’re experiencing specifically.
Your autonomic nervous system consists of nerves that control involuntary functions in the body and regulate glands. This includes processes pertaining to your heart rate, respiration, digestion, blood pressure and sexual arousal. Your somatic nervous system consists of nerves that control conscious actions, such as muscle movement, and that sends information from your ears, eyes and skin to the nervous system.
Peripheral neuropathy, regardless as to whether it’s affecting your autonomic nervous system or your somatic nervous system, are irreversible.
The conditions that fall within these categories are irreversible, but there are a variety of methods and treatments available that can be used to manage symptoms and to prevent further damage.
Types of Neuropathy
By now, you already know that neuropathy is a broad term used to describe any type of nerve damage. You also know that peripheral neuropathy is a more specific term used to describe damage to the nerves in your peripheral nervous system specifically. However, there are four main types of neuropathy to know, as each type has its own set of characteristics and understanding them will help you determine what type you are experiencing. These are:
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Cranial neuropathy
- Autonomic neuropathy
- Focal neuropathy, with each having vast differences.
As a quick recap, peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that resides outside of the brain and spinal cord (your peripheral nervous system) and it typically affects the toes, feet, fingers, legs, hands and arms.
Cranial neuropathy is a type of neuropathy that occurs when the nerves in the brain or brain stem become damaged. This can be separated into two more specific types of neuropathy – optic (cranial) neuropathy and auditory (cranial) neuropathy. Optic neuropathy occurs when the optic nerve that transports visual signals from the eye to the brain becomes damaged, whereas auditory neuropathy occurs when the cranial nerves that carry signals from the ear to the brain become damaged. But both types are considered cranial neuropathy.
Autonomic neuropathy is when the nerves in the involuntary nervous system become damaged. These nerves control your internal organs, and are responsible for things such as circulation, digestion, bowel and bladder movement, perspiration, blood pressure, and sexual response.
Focal neuropathy is when the damage is restricted to a single nerve, one group of nerves, or one body area. It is typically experienced in the hands, torso and legs.
What Causes Neuropathy?
One thing that makes neuropathy so complicated to understand and treat is that it can occur for a vast array of reasons. That’s also not to forget mentioning that each nerve in itself is complex and the effectiveness of treatment highly depends on finding the problem at the root cause, so your neuropathic pain can be treated at the source for long-term relief.
With that said, studies have been able to narrow in on the common causes of neuropathy. For example, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, poorly controlled diabetes accounts for 70% of neuropathy cases. Other common causes include chemotherapy treatment, HIV, shingles, kidney disease, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, alcoholism, nutrient deficiencies, hereditary disorders, and physical trauma/injury. Unfortunately, this also leaves 23% of cases where the cause is unknown but that doesn’t mean that treatment isn’t available.
Now, you also much keep in mind there are also many driving factors that can contribute to nerve damage, such as:
- Alcoholism: Despite the reasons being unclear, alcoholism is linked to causing neuropathy, possibly due to the combination of damage to the nerves that is caused by alcohol, poor nutrition and vitamin deficiencies.
- Amyloidosis: A condition where abnormal protein fibers are deposited in tissues and organs, which leads to organ damage and neuropathy.
- Autoimmune diseases: Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus and Guillain-Barre syndrome can cause neuropathy.
- Diabetes: a condition that is responsible for up to 70% of neuropathy cases., commonly referred to as diabetic neuropathy. The risk for developing it increases with age and the duration of diabetes, as does the severity of your symptom and overall condition. Being overweight, having elevated blood lipids or high blood pressure also contribute to worsened symptoms.
- Genetic or inherited disorders: These can affect the nerves, causing neuropathy in some cases.
- Infections: Some infections, such as Lyme disease, HIV, AIDS, leprosy and syphilis, can cause nerve damage.
- Injury: Any sort of physical trauma or injury to the nerves can cause neuropathy.
- Medications: Certain medications can cause damage to the nerves, including some cancer therapy treatments, such as chemotherapy and antibiotics.
- Post-herpetic neuralgia: A complication of shingles is a type of neuropathy.
- Toxins and poisons: Gold compounds, lead, arsenic, mercury, some industrial solvents, nitrous oxide, and organophosphate pesticides can cause nerve damage.
- Tumors: Both benign or malignant tumors in the nerves or nearby areas can cause nerve damage due to the pressure on the nerves.
- Uremia: Kidney failure that has caused a high amount of waste products in the blood can lead to neuropathy.
- Vitamin deficiencies: Having a deficiency in vitamins, such as B12, folate, and other B vitamins can cause damage to the nerves.
Natural Treatment for Neuropathy
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to treating neuropathy. There are a vast array of medications and surgeries available, as well as mobility aids, and of course, natural health alternatives and remedies. However, it’s important to mention that early diagnosis and treatment of neuropathy is imperative as it gives the nerves limited capacity to regenerate and your condition to progress. As such, it’s highly recommended to speak with your medical provider if you are experiencing any symptoms of neuropathy.
Otherwise, here are some effective home remedies and natural treatments you can implement to start treating your symptoms and preventing further damage:
- Treat your feet: The nerves that are most commonly affected by neuropathy are in your feet, so invest in some foot self-care. Eg: Foot soaks, massages, wear proper footwear, get a pedicure, etc.
- Take a daily vitamin to tackle any vitamin deficiencies that may be contributing to your neuropathy
- B Vitamins are essential for nerve health
- Vitamin D can help prevent nerve pain
- Add some cayenne pepper into your meals, as it contains capsaicin which is often used in topical creams for pain relief. It can also decrease the intensity of pain associated with neuropathy
- Quit smoking to improve your blood circulation and reduce numbness and pain caused by neuropathy
- Take a warm bath with Epsom salts to soothe your symptoms and to increase blood circulation, which can help decrease numbness and other related symptoms
- Use essential oils, such as chamomile and lavender, to improve circulation and reduce pain
- Try acupuncture, as it stimulates the body’s pressure points and releases chemicals in the body that change the pain experienced.
- Alternative healing programs that treat the condition. One of our recommendations is the Neuropathy No More program.
Despite there being no cure for most forms of neuropathy, there are many forms of treatment that can effectively soothe your symptoms and stop the progression in its tracks, and even reverse damage. Use the information in this article to get back on your feet and living life like you used to – pain-free.
