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Neuropathy Sufferers: Technology Provides Hope
A chronic disease process most commonly seen in the feet or hands, more than 20 Million people in the United States suffer from peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy is a condition in which the nerves start to die, usually from diabetes or chemotherapy treatments, and as they die they send strange nerve impulses to the brain.
There is a laundry list of symptoms: pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and balance issues are the most common.
Medication is usually the first thing people try. Anything from simple over-the-counter anti-inflammatories to the “gold standard” medications like Gabapentin, Neurontin, Lyrica, Cymbalta and opiates. The goal of these medications is to reduce pain and other symptoms until the nerve completely dies and becomes numb. Because the drugs don’t treat the cause of neuropathy, the condition worsens until the medication stops working.
A growing community of doctors across the nation have been quietly creating a movement that questions traditional approaches to treating neuropathy. For decades, doctors have been knowingly prescribing medication that only masks symptoms. Patients are being told that there is nothing that can be done for them and they will just have to live with neuropathy.
Today we now know nerves can heal. But nerves can only heal under the right conditions, and only if the nerve isn’t completely dead (this involves a painless nerve test that can be done in the doctor’s office). With that in mind, we can turn the focus to technological advancements in medicine geared towards healing nerves and other tissues.
Cold laser therapy has been proven to reduce inflammation, calm pain and other nerve sensations, and stimulate the body’s natural healing process. Infrared light therapy stimulates new blood vessel growth, which helps to bring fresh oxygen and other nutrients to the nerve. Whole body vibration stimulates mechanoreceptors, strengthening the connection between the muscles and nerves and improving balance. Neuro-Biofeedback normalizes nerve impulses to aide in healing. And lastly, nutrition supplementation and dietary changes to support nerve growth.
With these advancements in technology, doctors are now able to help their patients regenerate nerves and return normal function to their patients in ways that simply weren’t possible before. This has opened a new door of possibilities for those suffering from this chronic condition.
