Studies estimate that more than 20 million Americans suffer from peripheral neuropathy, an often painful condition resulting from damage to the nerves that branch off from the brain and spinal cord traveling into the arms, hands, legs, and feet. Trauma, infections, inherited conditions, certain diseases (like diabetes), and more can all lead to peripheral neuropathy, leaving sufferers with weakness, tingling, numbness, and/or pain, primarily in their hands and feet. For many people, circulation, digestion, and urination may also be affected. Thus, while usually not life-threatening, the various symptoms of neuropathy frequently limit a person’s ability to function normally, and alleviating those symptoms becomes critical for his or her quality of life. Take a look at how a nerve pain chiropractor can improve the lives of neuropathy sufferers using non-invasive, drug-free methods:
Advanced Nutrition Therapy
The body is an amazing machine and can often heal itself when supplied with the right nutrients and presented with a suitable environment. A nerve pain chiropractor is educated in nutrition and knows the exact vitamins and minerals the body needs to facilitate optimal neurological functioning. Here at Asuta Health, we take a holistic approach with our patients, evaluating their lifestyle and eating habits to pinpoint possible deficiencies or imbalances that might be contributing to neuropathic pain. We then develop a balanced diet plan for remedying them that can be used in tandem with our other therapeutic treatments.
Electromagnetic Infrared Therapy
For some patients, electromagnetic infrared therapy is another beneficial treatment that can supplement healthy eating to restore improved nerve function to damaged nerve cells and alleviate pain. Using this type of technology, a nerve pain chiropractor applies infrared light to painful areas of the patient’s body. The light stimulates blood circulation and promotes natural bodily healing by increasing the levels of oxygen and glucose that are delivered to damaged nerve tissue(s). With the additional nutrients, damaged nerve cells have access to the materials necessary for repair and regrowth. Like other treatments used by nerve pain chiropractors, this frequently alleviates patients’ pain. Use caution with this therapy as many inferior products have flooded the market due to the positive research shown with this type of therapy.
Electrostimulation
Similarly, electrostimulation is another type of adjunct nerve pain treatment that uses low-voltage electrical impulses to “reboot” the nervous system. A nerve pain chiropractor often combines electrostimulation with traditional chiropractic adjustments to block the transmission of painful nerve signals, as well as stimulate the release of endorphins, both of which have been shown to reduce a patient’s perception of pain.
Chiropractic Adjustments
When the spine is misaligned — i.e., it does not extend in a straight line from the head to the feet — many of the body’s systems can not function normally. Nerves, in particular, can become compressed, injured or otherwise stressed. This leads to inflammation and can precipitate the release of faulty signals that cause neuropathy symptoms. However, if you reduce the inflammation, you can usually reduce the pain. Nerve pain chiropractors are skilled at adjusting the joints of the body; restoring proper alignment to the spine so the nerves that may have been damaged are no longer structurally compromised and, thus, no longer inflamed. The result: less pain. Proper spine positioning also promotes blood flow, which provides the essential nutrients needed for tissue regeneration and repair. Finally, there is research to indicate that physical adjustments to the body (that result in proper joint alignment) trigger the release of an anti-inflammatory cytokine that has the ability to reduce pain, as well.
Want to Learn More?
These are just a few of the non-invasive therapies a nerve pain chiropractor can use to help patients deal with neuropathy symptoms. To learn more about the treatments available here at Asuta Health, please contact us today.
