Neuropathy literally means disease or anomaly of the nervous system. When people talk about neuropathy, they typically mean peripheral neuropathy, which means a problem with the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Peripheral neuropathy most often affects the hands and feet.

Signs and Symptoms of Neuropathy:

• Gradual onset of numbness, prickling, or tingling in hands or feet. The symptoms can later spread up around the legs or arms.
• Extreme sensibility to touch or pain from activities that normally shouldn't hurt.
• Muscle weakness and lack of coordination, which increases the risk for falls.
• A feeling of wearing gloves or socks when you are not.

Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries or chronic pressure on nerves, infections, metabolic problems such as diabetes, or exposure to nerve-damaging substances like chemotherapy. The peripheral nerves send impulses to and from all the different parts of our bodies to the spinal cord. The spinal cord transports nerve impulses to and from the brain. If the nerves are injured or damaged along this pathway, the messages will be perceived by the conscious brain as numbness or pain. The most common reason for neuropathy is poorly managed diabetes. Alcoholism, vitamin deficiencies, medications, and pressure on nerves can all result in neuropathy symptoms.

So, as you can see there are many problems that can lead to debilitating symptoms like neuropathy. The most important step in treating neuropathy is finding the cause. If the neuropathy is due to pressure on a nerve such as a disc herniation or misalignment of the spine or other joints, a good chiropractor can be helpful. If the cause is a vitamin deficiency, it needs to be addressed with high-quality supplements such as Alpha-Lipoic-Acid. Infrared laser light therapy can stimulate circulation to help heal damaged nerves. Acupuncture can be used to treat pain and restore circulation to the damaged tissues. If you have questions regarding neuropathy or have not found help, please give us a call at Red Wing Chiropractic Clinic for a free consultation to see how we can help!