Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Matthew Davis, DC
Are you suffering from numbness and tingling in your hands or feet? Common symptoms of neuropathy include numbness and tingling, frequent falls, muscle weakness and difficulty walking, and low blood pressure. Neuropathy is damage or dysfunction of one or more nerves that typically results in numbness, tingling, muscle weakness and pain in the affected area. Neuropathies frequently start in your hands and feet, but other parts of your body can be affected too.
Neuropathy, often called peripheral neuropathy, indicates a problem within the peripheral nervous system. Your peripheral nervous system is the network of nerves outside your brain and spinal cord. Your brain and spinal cord make up your central nervous system. Think of the two systems working together this way: Your central nervous system is the central station. It is the control center, the hub from which all trains come and go. Your peripheral nervous system are the tracks that connect to the central station. The tracks (the network of nerves) allow the trains (information signals) to travel to and from the central station (your brain and spinal cord).
Sensory nerves carry messages from your five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) through your spinal cord to your brain. For example, a sensory nerve would communicate to your brain information about objects you hold in your hand, like pain, temperature, and texture.
Motor nerves travel in the opposite direction of sensory nerves. They carry messages from your brain to your muscles. They tell your muscles how and when to contract to produce movement. For example, to move your hand away from something hot.
Autonomic nerves are responsible for body functions that occur outside of your direct control, such as breathing, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, bladder control and sexual arousal. The autonomic nerves are constantly monitoring and responding to external stresses and bodily needs. For instance, when you exercise, your body temperature increases. The autonomic nervous system triggers sweating to prevent your body’s temperature from rising too high. The type of symptoms you feel depend on the type of nerve that is damaged.
Diabetes is the number one cause of neuropathy in the United States. Other common causes include trauma, chemotherapy, alcoholism, and autoimmune diseases.
. Diabetes: This is a leading cause of neuropathy in the United States. Some 60% to 70% of people with diabetes experience neuropathy. Diabetes is the most common cause of small fiber neuropathy, a condition that causes painful burning sensations in the hands and feet.
. Trauma: Injuries from falls, car accidents, fractures or sports activities can result in neuropathy. Compression of the nerves due to repetitive stress or narrowing of the space through which nerves run are other causes.
. Autoimmune disorders and infections: Guillain-Barré syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy are autoimmune disorders that can cause neuropathy. Infections including chickenpox, shingles, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes, syphilis, Lyme disease, leprosy, West Nile virus, Epstein-Barr virus and hepatitis C can also cause neuropathy.
. Other health conditions: Neuropathy can result from kidney disorders, liver disorders, hypothyroidism, tumors (cancer-causing or benign) that press on nerves or invade their space, myeloma, lymphoma and monoclonal gammopathy.
. Medications and poisons: Some antibiotics, some anti-seizures medications and some HIV medications among others can cause neuropathy. Some treatments, including cancer chemotherapy and radiation, can damage peripheral nerves. Exposure to toxic substances such as heavy metals (including lead and mercury) and industrial chemicals, especially solvents, can also affect nerve function.
. Vascular disorders: Neuropathy can occur when blood flow to the arms and legs is decreased or slowed by inflammation, blood clots, or other blood vessel disorders. Decreased blood flow deprives the nerve cells of oxygen, causing nerve damage or nerve cell death. Vascular problems can be caused by vasculitis, smoking and diabetes.
. Abnormal vitamin levels and alcoholism: Proper levels of vitamins E, B1, B6, B12, and niacin are important for healthy nerve function. Chronic alcoholism, which typically results in lack of a well-rounded diet, robs the body of thiamine and other essential nutrients needed for nerve function. Alcohol may also be directly toxic to peripheral nerves.
. Inherited disorders: Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is the most common hereditary neuropathy. CMT causes weakness in the foot and lower leg muscles and can also affect the muscles in the hands. Familial amyloidosis, Fabry disease and metachromatic leukodystrophy are other examples of inherited disorders that can cause neuropathy.
At Neuropathy of Naples, we offer a scientific, four step approach that heals your nerves and reverses the symptoms of neuropathy. Here’s how:
1) Increase blood supply to your nerves
2) Repairing and re-educating your nerves
3) Increasing blood flow to your hands and feet
4) Increasing your balance and mobility
Our treatments include NO MEDICATIONS. NO INJECTIONS! NO SURGERY! There are FOUR essential components to the Naples Neuropathy Protocol.
Electromagnetic Infrared Therapy: This technology will increase blood flow and repair the nerve. It is our new Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT). The light therapy signals Vasoendothelial Growth (VEGF), which signals the production of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the creation of the new blood vessels, which is needed to repair nerve damage. The blood vessels grow back around the peripheral nerves and allow them with the necessary nutrients to heal and repair. This technology has 21 peer-reviewed studies with a 97% success rate with peripheral neuropathy.
Electrostimulation: We use state of the art digital electro therapeutic stimulation to help in the growth of the nerves called Nerve Re-Education. Used by the Cancer Centers of America to help Chemotherapy patients rebuild the nerves. Nerve Re-Education is often done at home, so therapy can be done multiple times a daily! Results can be immediate in both pain relief and restoration of normal sensation.
Advanced Nutrition Therapy: Proper nutrition to build a basis for our other IMPORTANT COMPONENTS is necessary for tissue and nerve repair. Our Premium Nutritional Therapies have been developed to speed healing time by affecting the processes of inflammation, blood flow, and bioavailable nitric oxide.
In-Clinic Visits & Online Education: Along with your home care, you will have office visits 1x per week to support and monitor progress. Each ESSENTIAL component is equally important for patient outcome. The amount of treatment you need to heal the nerves varies from person to person. It can only be determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation.
DR. MATTHEW DAVIS, DC NEUROPATHY SPECIALIST
239.326.2152
www.NeuropathyOfNaples.com
3940 Radio Rd #105, Naples, FL 34104
