Natural Choices for Painful Neuropathy Alternatives for this Painful Nerve Condition

Peripheral neuropathy may be one of the most common conditions you've never heard of -- and it is indeed common. Estimates are that it affects as many as two-thirds of people with diabetes, 10% to 20% of people with cancer and 8% of all people over age 55. One reason may be that neuropathy is not an isolated medical condition. Rather, it results from other medical problems including vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune disorders and heavy metal exposure, in addition to diabetes and cancer. Symptoms generally come on gradually over a period of weeks or even months, starting in the toes and sometimes the fingers. They include burning and tingling sensations, numbness, and occasional sharp, sudden pains similar to electrical shocks. Intensity of symptoms varies widely, from mild annoyance... to numbness severe enough to impair function... to debilitating pain.

MEDICAL TREATMENTS

Mainstream medical doctors often treat peripheral neuropathy with pharmaceutical drugs, but they all have serious side effects, including dizziness, sleepiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, weight gain, nausea, headache and in serious cases, allergic reaction and confusion, among others. Given the problems with pharmaceuticals, I called Mark Stengler, ND, a regular contributor to Daily Health News, to find out about natural approaches to the problem. The first step is to find the root cause and correct it as much as possible. For example, people with diabetes must control blood sugar levels to help slow further peripheral neuropathy development. People who suspect vitamin deficiencies should see a holistic physician for blood level tests and to help them establish a healthy diet and vitamin protocol. They must also avoid or greatly reduce alcohol consumption. Those having chemotherapy should alert the supervising doctor immediately if numbness or tingling starts in their feet or hands. The doctor may be able to alter the drugs somewhat to keep the neuropathy from escalating. However, when chemo-related peripheral neuropathy begins weeks or even months after completion of chemotherapy -- as is often the case -- the next step is to seek treatment to alleviate the discomfort and possibly help reduce or even heal it. This advice holds true for other causes of peripheral neuropathy as well, although you should check with your doctor to be sure it is appropriate for you.

NATURAL APPROACHES

The natural substance with the longest record for helping both diabetic peripheral neuropathy and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is alpha lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant that scavenges many harmful free radicals. (Note: Alpha lipoic acid can reduce blood sugar levels so your doctor should monitor your medication and blood sugar for the duration.) It’s not a quick solution however -- Dr. Stengler says to wait eight to 12 weeks before assessing results. The other natural substance he recommends is acetyl-L-carnitine, which he says has a regenerative effect on the nerves. Again, stay on acetyl-L-carnitine therapy for eight to 12 weeks to assess its efficacy.

Diabetes and high blood sugar:

Complications from diabetes come on over time, and damage has often started before we realize something is wrong.

Cardiovascular System
The heart actually has the largest blood vessels in the body so why is it damaged? First of all, it is the job of the heart to pump the thick, sticky blood through all the narrowed vessels in the body. The heart also has many small vessels that feed and nourish it. When blood sugars are high, they do not get the circulation they need. So not only are we asking the heart to work twice as hard, we are depriving it of nutrition to give it strength. Cardiovascular Disease is the most common cause of death in people with diabetes. But there are support and therapy strategies that have been proven effective.

Nerve Damage and Disease
Amputations and ulcers, especially in the feet, are more frequent in patients with poorly controlled diabetes. Decreased circulation to feet and legs leads to damage and loss of nerve function. The nerves lose their ability to sense pain, pressure, touch, or temperature correctly, which results in tingling and numbess of the feet and toes (fingers, too). This condition is called peripheral neuropathy.
Autonomic neuropathy occurs when there is nerve damage affecting the automatic processes in your body such as heart rate or sweating, so they do not work as they should. The stomach may not process food correctly. The heart rate or blood pressure does not speed up or slow down in response to exercise, exertion, rest, standing, or sitting. Autonomic neuropathy also contributes to the absence of chest pain with heart attack, and can cause sweating at inappropriate times or in specific areas, leaky bladder, pupils that do not constrict or dilate as needed, sexual dysfunction, and decreased ability to sense an infection or hypoglycemia.

Vision Problems
Retinopathy, macular edema, glaucoma, and cataracts are the more common eye disorders related to diabetes.
Eye disease is typically progressive, and there are usually no symptoms until damage has occurred. You may have 20/20 vision yet one day have complete vision loss due to a hemorrhage. This is the reason a yearly eye exam is so important. An eye doctor will be able to see the changes occurring before vision is at risk. Laser surgery can destroy the abnormal vessels in the eye and prevent their regrowth.

So What's The Good News?
Believe it or not, there is some good news. The whole process of long-term complications started with sticky red blood cells. The good news is that red blood cells only live two to three months. That means that in three months of keeping your blood sugar levels nearer to normal, you have a whole new set of unsticky red blood cells. This turnover eliminates the cops, slow cars, and semi-trucks from the freeway, and prevents further damage to the road. When blood sugar levels come down, the stickiness decreases on the walls of the arteries and veins, and triglycerides and cholesterol levels are reduced. So where lanes of traffic were closed, we now have open roads. Where damage has been done, we may not be able to repair it, but with improved control, we can prevent further complications and slow or stop the progress of any existing ones. Keeping blood sugars close to normal is the best way to prevent complications. Unlike genetics, age, or sex, it is the one component we have some control over.