Are you dealing with the painful symptoms of peripheral neuropathy? If so, you’re not alone. Peripheral neuropathy is incredibly common – worldwide, more than 20 million people are affected by it. It can cause a range of unpleasant and even disabling symptoms that affect your everyday life. But don’t worry! You don’t have to suffer through this condition – we have natural health supplements here that may help revitalize weakened nerves and lessen the pain from peripheral neuropathy. Read on to find out how these unique products may just be what you need to ease your discomfort and reclaim your quality of life!
What is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy affects approximately 20 million people in the United States alone. It may affect different areas of the peripheral nervous system—the motor, sensory and autonomic nerves. Peripheral neuropathy refers to any damage or injury to the nerves that exist outside of the brain and spinal cord. These nerves are responsible for transmitting messages from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. When they are damaged, the messages cannot be received, which disrupts the natural functions of the body and can cause serious discomfort. Damage to this system can cause various health complications. This condition may result from physical injuries, autoimmune diseases, infections, alcoholism and exposure to toxins.
What is The Peripheral Nervous System?
The PNS controls all the functions of the body outside of the brain and spinal cord, called the central nervous system (CNS). It consists of two branches: the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system governs all voluntary movements, while the autonomic nervous system handles the involuntary functions, such as breathing and heart rate. Whether we’re dancing, jumping, or eating, the PNS is constantly communicating with the rest of the body to ensure everything is functioning correctly.
One of the primary functions of the PNS is to transmit messages between the body and the CNS. This means that if you touch something hot, your nervous system sends a message to your brain, which then signals your body to move your hand away. Similarly, the PNS also communicates with the CNS to regulate vital functions such as breathing, digestion, and heart rate. Without the PNS, our body would not be able to effectively communicate with itself, resulting in a host of health issues.
The health of the PNS is essential for overall wellness. Any damage to the PNS can result in a range of symptoms, from numbness or tingling in the extremities to difficulty walking or even paralysis. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to keep your PNS healthy. One of the best things you can do is to engage in regular exercise, which can help strengthen nerves and the connections between them. Additionally, ensuring a healthy diet that includes essential vitamins and minerals can help support the cellular health of nerves.
Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms
A patient’s symptoms depend on the type of nerves that the condition damages because each type of nerve performs a different role in the body.
Motor Nerve Damage
Motor nerves control muscle movement and allow the body to consciously control actions like walking and talking. The main symptom that motor nerve damage causes is weak muscles. Patients may also experience:
Muscle Weakness
Peripheral neuropathy may prompt muscle weakness in hands, feet, or both. This symptom can be challenging to manage since it can affect your daily activities, such as holding a fork or walking. For some, exercise or stretching may help mitigate this symptom, but it’s important to have a physician’s proper diagnosis.
Muscle Cramps
Cramping, knitting, or pulling muscles is a symptom not typically associated with neuropathy, but it can happen. If you’ve never experienced muscle cramps before, it may indicate another issues, but if you have an existing peripheral neuropathy diagnosis, it could be caused by muscle tension due to nerve damage.
Autonomic Nerve Damage
Autonomic nerves are responsible for regulating the organs to perform functions that humans do not control consciously like breathing and digestion. Damage to autonomic nerves may cause:
Rapid Heart Rate or Arrhythmia
If you experience an irregular heartbeat, you could be having nerve damage from peripheral neuropathy. The heart rate may either go too fast or too slow. This condition also leads to fluctuations in blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Involuntary Sweating or Hyperhidrosis
Peripheral neuropathy can also cause excessive sweating, especially in the palms, face, and soles of the feet. This sweating can occur even during mild activities, exposing the patient to attacks of panic and anxiety. Treating this symptom can help alleviate anxiety and reduce nerve-related problems.
Irregular Bowel Movements or Constipation
Gastrointestinal problems are common in peripheral neuropathy patients. Nerve damage can affect the digestive system, leading to bloating and constipation. This condition can cause weight gain and worsen the symptoms of insulin resistance. Replacing high-fat foods with healthy fiber-rich vegetables can help resolve this problem.
Difficulty Urinating
Peripheral neuropathy reduces the sensitivity of the nerves that control bladder muscles. This symptom affects both men and women but is more severe in men. As the bladder loses strength, the urine is retained, creating a high risk of urinary tract infections and damaging the kidneys. Use of catheters and bladder exercises may help alleviate these problems.
Intimate Dysfunction
Peripheral neuropathy can also lead to dysfunction in both men and women, affecting passion and performance. This can be a challenging symptom to discuss, but medical professionals can help you address the underlying causes and improve these symptoms.
High Blood Pressure
When the autonomic nerves are damaged, it can lead to a variety of issues, including high blood pressure. This is because these nerves help to control your blood pressure by regulating the size and elasticity of your blood vessels. When this function is impaired, it can lead to hypertension or high blood pressure. Some symptoms of high blood pressure can include headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision. It’s essential to manage high blood pressure as it can cause a range of health issues and even put you at risk for a heart attack or stroke.
Sensory Nerve Damage
The sensory nerves are responsible for communicating messages that describe body sensations, such as touch, temperature or pain. Because these nerves’ functions is so wide, it can cause several different symptoms such as:
Numbness and Tingling
If you feel like you have pins and needles in your hands and feet, don’t shrug it off as a temporary oddity. This sensation could indicate peripheral neuropathy, where the nerves in your extremities are damaged, leading to a loss of feeling or an increased sensation of an odd feeling. This may occur sporadically, and it may come and go. The best diagnosis option would be to see your doctor, get tested and discuss what exactly is going on.
Loss of Coordination
Peripheral neuropathy can also affect your coordination and balance, making it difficult to perform coordinated movements. You may find yourself stumbling or experiencing sudden jerks that you can’t control. If you notice these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Burning Sensations
You might experience a burning sensation on the bottom of your feet or palms of your hands. This symptom can be excruciating and require treatment beyond medication. The burning sensation may also result from nerve compression or nerve damage, which, over time, may cause the nerves to malfunction.
Can Peripheral Neuropathy Cause Headaches?
How exactly does peripheral neuropathy cause headaches? While it’s not entirely clear, studies suggest that the pain associated with peripheral neuropathy can potentially trigger headaches. Additionally, the stress and anxiety of dealing with peripheral neuropathy can also cause tension headaches. These headaches can be caused by muscle contractions or spasms in the neck muscles, which can cause pain that radiates to the head.
Fortunately, if you have peripheral neuropathy and are experiencing headaches, there are things you can do to find relief. One of the most effective ways to manage your headaches is to manage your peripheral neuropathy symptoms. This may include taking medication, following a healthy diet and exercise routine, and practicing stress reduction techniques like yoga or meditation. By reducing your peripheral neuropathy symptoms, you may find that your headaches become less frequent and less severe.
What Causes Peripheral Neuropathy?
Acquired Neuropathies
Acquired neuropathies refer to nerve damage that occurs after exposure to toxins, infections, or injuries. Individuals with diabetes are vulnerable to peripheral neuropathy, and it’s referred to as diabetic neuropathies. Other acquired neuropathies arise from chronic alcohol use, traumatic injuries, or infections caused by viruses such as shingles.
Diabetes
High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves in the extremities, leading to neuropathy.
Alcoholism
Excessive alcohol consumption can cause nerve damage, leading to neuropathy.
Autoimmune Diseases
Conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome can cause inflammation that damages the nerves.
Infections
Certain infections like shingles, HIV/AIDS, and Lyme disease can damage the nerves.
Medications
Some medications, including chemotherapy drugs, can cause peripheral neuropathy as a side effect.
Poor Nutrition or Vitamin Deficiency
Poor nutrition or inadequate diet is one of the leading causes of peripheral neuropathy. A nutrient-dense and balanced diet prevent vitamin deficiencies that can result in nerve damage. Vitamins B1, B6, and B12 are essential for nerve health. A person who is deficient in these vitamins is susceptible to neuropathy. Vitamin E and niacin are also critical in nerve health.
Certain Kinds of Cancer
Cancer is another leading cause of neuropathy. Cancer treatment using chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery can cause nerve damage. It mostly affects the nerves that control the muscles and the touch sensation of the fingers and toes. Certain types of cancers also cause neuropathy, such as lymphoma, lung cancer, or multiple myeloma.
Kidney or Thyroid Disease
The thyroid and kidneys help regulate several essential body functions, such as the balance of electrolytes, metabolism, and blood pressure. When these organs fail in their functions, it causes complications, including neuropathy. Kidney disease can lead to a buildup of toxins in the blood that can damage the nerves. The thyroid, on the other hand, plays a role in creating hormones that are vital for nerve health.
Hereditary Neuropathies
Hereditary neuropathies are genetic diseases caused by mutations in the DNA. These mutations cause nerve damage over time, and symptoms present themselves in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is one of the most prevalent hereditary neuropathies that affect motor and sensory nerves.
Idiopathic Neuropathies
Idiopathic neuropathy is a condition whose cause is unknown. It arises unexpectedly without any underlying medical issues or environmental factors, and the symptoms come on slowly over time. In some instances, physicians can’t identify the cause of the neuropathy and have to treat the patient’s symptoms.
How Peripheral Neuropathy is Diagnosed
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, it’s important to see a doctor for proper diagnosis. Your doctor will likely perform a physical examination and may order tests to confirm the diagnosis. These may include nerve conduction studies, electromyography, blood tests, and imaging studies like an MRI or CT scan.
Treating Peripheral Neuropathy
Medication
There are different types of medication for treating neuropathy, including antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and pain relievers. These drugs work by blocking the pain signals from the damaged nerves or by stabilizing the nerve cells. It’s essential to follow proper dosage and regimen as prescribed by your doctor because some medications have potential side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, and stomach upset.
Therapy
Physical therapy and occupational therapy can help prevent muscle weakness, improve balance, and increase mobility. Physical therapy typically involves exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles. Occupational therapy, on the other hand, helps with functional activities like dressing, eating, and grooming. A therapist works with you to create an individualized plan that meets your specific needs.
Nerve Stimulation
Electrical nerve stimulation is a non-invasive treatment option that uses low-level electrical currents to stimulate the damaged nerves. This treatment can help reduce pain, tingling, and other symptoms of neuropathy. There are several types of nerve stimulation devices available, including TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) and MIRE (Monochromatic Infrared Photo energy) therapy.
Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks involve injecting medication directly into the affected nerves to reduce pain and inflammation. This can be a highly effective therapy for those with severe peripheral neuropathy who haven’t responded well to other treatments. However, nerve blocks are invasive and carry risks and side effects, so they should only be used when other treatments have failed.
Surgery
If conservative treatments aren’t effective, surgery may be necessary. This can include decompression surgery to relieve pressure on nerves, nerve repair or grafting to repair damage, or spinal cord stimulation to interrupt pain signals. While surgery can be effective, it’s also a risky and invasive option, so it should only be considered as a last resort.
Managing Peripheral Neuropathy
Exercise
One of the best ways to reduce symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy is by staying active. Exercise helps improve circulation and strengthens muscles, which helps to reduce pain and numbness. Try incorporating low-impact exercises like walking, cycling, or swimming into your daily routine. Even a little movement can help to alleviate your symptoms.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can be helpful in reducing neuropathy pain. Peppermint oil is a popular choice because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. You can rub a few drops of peppermint oil mixed with a carrier oil onto the affected areas to reduce pain and inflammation. Lavender oil also has natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can help alleviate symptoms.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an alternative therapy that has been proven to help alleviate pain associated with neuropathy. It involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body to regulate energy flow. This can help promote healing and reduce pain by stimulating the nerves. Be sure to choose a licensed and experienced practitioner.
Massage
Massage therapy can also help alleviate peripheral neuropathy symptoms. It helps improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and relieve muscle tension. A study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies in 2004 found that massage therapy can help reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with peripheral neuropathy.
Warm Water Footbaths
Soaking your feet in warm water can help with chronic nerve pain. It’s a simple remedy that can be done from the comfort of your own home. Simply fill a basin with warm water and soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes. This will help increase circulation and reduce inflammation, which can ease nerve pain.
Dietary Changes
What you eat can also impact symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy. Avoid foods that may contribute to inflammation and exacerbate pain, such as processed foods, refined sugars, and alcohol. Instead, focus on incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. This can help alleviate inflammation and reduce pain.
Can Peripheral Neuropathy Be Reversed?
Peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating condition that requires careful management and treatment. Although there’s no cure for the condition, there are many ways to reverse its symptoms and improve your overall quality of life. By incorporating healthy lifestyle choices and seeking the help of a qualified medical professional, you can manage your neuropathy effectively and get back to living life pain-free.
Can Peripheral Neuropathy Kill You?
The answer is a resounding yes, if you do not take proper precautions and manage your condition effectively. However, there are several preventive measures that you can take to reduce your risk of complications. First, make sure to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management. Exercise can improve circulation and strengthen the muscles in your legs and feet, reducing the risk of falls. A healthy diet can help control your blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation, which can aid in the healing of wounds and prevent infections.
Supplements for Brain Function
Patients may also opt for natural supplements to help support healthy brain function. Supplements will not treat peripheral neuropathy or any other health condition, but they may help improve overall health in conjunction with other medical treatments. Always consult a doctor before adding any supplement to a dietary regimen.
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B complex is essential for nerve health. It helps regenerate nerve fibers and reduces inflammation, which helps to alleviate pain and discomfort. Including foods rich in vitamin B12 and B6, like leafy greens, eggs, and fish, can help alleviate neuropathy pain. You may also consider taking supplements under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Vitamin B12
B vitamins are essential for nerve health, and vitamin B12 deficiency is a common cause of neuropathy. This vitamin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds nerve fibers. Low levels of B12 can cause nerve damage and impair neurological function. Taking vitamin B12 supplements can prevent or reverse neuropathy caused by B12 deficiency. It can also enhance the effectiveness of other nerve remedies, such as ALA.
Magnesium
Magnesium deficiency is a risk factor for peripheral neuropathy. This mineral is involved in the transmission of nerve signals and the regulation of muscle relaxation. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can benefit nerve health. Some studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can alleviate neuropathic pain and improve nerve function. Magnesium is abundant in green leafy vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, but many people do not get enough of it from their diet.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant, meaning it can potentially help protect the nerve tissues from damage. One of its functions is improving diabetic neuropathy. Research states that it may also increase insulin sensitivity, which also plays a role in diabetes.
As a dietary supplement, the recommended serving size for ALA powder supplements is 600 mg up to two times a day with meals. Overdose or taking excessive amounts at a time may cause abdominal discomfort and acid reflux. Discuss ALA supplementation with a physician before adding it to a supplement regimen.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Acetyl L-carnitine can help support metabolism by facilitating the breakdown of fatty acids into energy. In addition, it is loaded with antioxidants that may help neutralize free radicals that can cause damage to the nerves . The suggested serving size for acetyl L-carnitine supplements is 500 mg one to three times per day. Consult a doctor before taking this supplement.
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine
According to research, N-acetyl L-cysteine can fortify the immune system so that it can fight infections or other types of damage in the body. NAC may also help boost mood and cognitive functions. As a dietary supplement, the recommended dosage for N-acetyl L-cysteine powder supplements is 600 mg one to three times per day. Consult a health professional before supplementing with NAC, if you have a history of heart conditions or blood sugar problems.
Curcumin
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, a spice widely used in Indian cuisine and traditional medicine. It has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and it can reduce neuropathic pain and swelling. It also improves nerve function by promoting myelin formation and stimulating nerve growth. Some studies have shown that curcumin supplementation can improve sensation and balance in patients with diabetic neuropathy.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is a common supplement for its potential benefits on cardiovascular health. It may also help patients maintain a healthy weight and blood cholesterol levels. Studies state that it may also have a positive effect on diabetic neuropathy. The recommended dosage for 1,000 mg fish oil softgels is one to two softgels two or three three times per day, with approval from a doctor.
Bottom Line
Peripheral neuropathy results from damage to the peripheral nervous system. It may be caused by injuries, infections, autoimmune diseases, alcoholism and exposure to toxins that interfere with the messages that the brain sends throughout the body. Peripheral neuropathy can affect the sensory, autonomic and motor nerves. Because each type of nerve has a different function, damage to different nerves causes different effects on the body.
Home remedies can help to manage the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and work in tandem with prescription medication prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional. The remedies listed here can help in managing the pain and sensitivity experienced by patients with peripheral neuropathy. However, it is always important to consult your doctor before starting any home remedies to ensure that you don’t interact with any prescription medication you may be taking.
Peripheral neuropathy can be a challenging condition to manage, but with the right supplements, you can alleviate some of its symptoms and improve your quality of life. Alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin B12, magnesium, acetyl-L-carnitine, and fish oil are all supplements that have been shown to be beneficial for people with peripheral neuropathy. Before starting any supplement regimen, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider to determine the right dosage and ensure that the supplements won’t interact with any medications you’re currently taking. With the right approach, you can successfully manage peripheral neuropathy and enjoy a healthier, happier life!
