Why Seeking Treatment for Neuropathy Is Important

Peripheral neuropathy affects at least 20 million people in the United States, though researchers suspect this number may be far higher thanks to a general misunderstanding of the problem.

To help our patients here at Valiant Life Medical better understand neuropathy, we believe that education is paramount. Through awareness, our team of integrative specialists can step in at the earliest signs of peripheral neuropathy and take action, preventing further nerve damage and relieving your symptoms.

Here’s a look at the signs of peripheral neuropathy and why seeking treatment is important.

Peripheral neuropathy 101

Peripheral neuropathy is rarely a standalone condition, but is a side effect of a more serious problem. Neuropathy is another word for nerve damage, and the word “peripheral” refers to the extensive network of nerves that lie outside your central nervous system (your brain and your spinal cord).

There are many conditions that can lead to nerve damage, and there are different types of nerves that can be affected, including your motor, sensory, and autonomic nerves.

For the sake of this discussion, we’re going to focus on issues with your sensory and motor nerve groups, which can be brought about by a wide range of medical problems, with diabetes leading the charge. Due to high levels of glucose in your blood, the nerves in areas that are farthest from your heart (your feet and legs), can become damaged due to the lack of good circulation and resources.

Outside of diabetes, neuropathy can develop because of:

• Infections
• Toxins
• Tumors
• Alcoholism
• Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Metabolic syndromes
• Trauma
• Chemotherapy

Whatever causes your neuropathy, the symptoms are similar.

Recognizing the signs of neuropathy

The symptoms that develop because of nerve damage depend upon the nerves that are affected. As we mentioned, we’re going to concentrate on sensory and motor nerves, especially in your legs and feet. 

Damage to these nerves typically leads to:

• Sharp pain or burning sensations
• Numbness and tingling
• Sensitivity to heat
• Sensitivity to touch
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of balance or coordination

In extreme cases, the nerve damage can lead to paralysis, which is why early intervention is key.

Treating neuropathy

When you come in, we thoroughly evaluate your neuropathy and conduct studies to assess the extent of the nerve damage. Nerves don’t regenerate easily, which is why we want to intervene early so that we can slow or halt the progression of the damage.

Once we identify the cause of your nerve damage, we take steps to mitigate the underlying problem. For example, if you have peripheral neuropathy because of diabetes, we work with you to better control your diabetes in order to stop the nerve damage.

If your neuropathy is caused by other medical problems, we can treat the problem at its source and also turn to certain medications, such as antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, to relieve the discomfort.

If you’re experiencing any of the neuropathy symptoms we outlined above, we urge you to contact our office in Fort Worth, Texas, sooner rather than later.