Stopping Neuropathy Pain before It Stops you

Neuropathy, also known as nerve pain feels like an electrical shock that shoots throughout your body.

Sometimes it can be a stabbing pain or a tingling numbness in a person’s extremities. This pain’s usually continuous worsen on occasion.

Some diseases that cause this pain syndrome include; diabetes, fibromyalgia, stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors, shingles spinal cord injury and numerous other diseases.

It can be the result of treatments like chemotherapy, or a side effect of medicines. Neuropathy can also be the result of nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances.

What is the Problem, Doctor?

The doctor will get a full medical history. This will include a brief family history. He will ask you about what medicines you’re taking.

He’ll discuss your personal habits like alcohol, drug use, and eating habits.

He will then do a neurological exam and have a lab tech. draw blood. He will check for inflammation, white blood cell count, immune levels, thyroid function, and levels of B12. He probably will also want to check for diabetes.

How to Escape the Pain

The treatment of neuropathy depends on the underlining cause. If it’s a nutritional depletion cause by Vitamins B, C, D, E magnesium, zinc, and potassium.

A person would take a supplement. The doctor may try and determine the underlining cause of this depletion.

If you have a hormonal imbalance the doctor will begin replacement therapy. He’ll then investigate the cause, to determine the best course of action.

Diabetic neuropathy is a common type of nerve pain. It’s thought that this is the result of poor circulation, high elevated sugar levels, and nutritional problems.

The doctor will first try to help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level through diet, exercise, and medicines.

He would then prescribe a pain medication. In addition to supplements like lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine.

Sometimes the cause of pain is a pinched nerve. This can cause things like tendinitis and carpal tunnel. Sciatica is one nerve that’s known to give a lot of people grief.

With rest, warm moist heat, ice packs and anti-inflammatory medicine the pain generally goes away on its own. If the pinched nerve is from spinal cord injury other treatment options may be needed.

Shingles is a virus from the chickenpox family that remains in your body years after your chickenpox outbreak and usually remains asymptomatic.

Occasionally something will trigger the virus to resurface and this will cause a painful rash on one side of your body.

This rash will follow the path of a nerve, which causes burning or deep aching feeling in that area.

Sometimes, this pain will continue after the rash has cleared up. This is called Postherpetic neuralgia.

Lather Me Up

There are numerous topical medicines on the market. To help relieve pain. Unlike the oral medicines, they have very few side effects. I will explain a little about each below.

Lidocaine patches. These are pain patches that can be applied to the painful area. They are good for 12 hours of pain relief and you can use up to three at a time.

The only known side effect is rash at the patch site. This isn’t a good option if you’re allergic to Novocain, lidocaine.

Topical gels can be applied to the skin. The mucous membranes of the skin will then absorb them where the medicine will be distributed throughout the body.

Some of them might include, Capsaicin, bengay, and a variety of sports creams.

Open Wide

Sometimes a combination of seizure medicine with antidepressants work to relieve pain some of them include; Doxepin, Neurontin, Elavil, Effexor, Tofranil, Topamax, Cymbalta. Keppra, Dilantin, Lamictal, Trileptal

He may try an over the counter pain medicines or Benadryl. Perhaps he’ll prescribe something like Lyrica, and Ultram. Narcotics are given when nothing else relieves the pain.

He might prescribe a central nervous system depressant like Valium, or other benzodiazepines.

The Best Natures Cure

Some people alternate conventional medicines with herbal supplements for pain relief. Some of the better ones include.

• Cramp bark
• Rose oil
• Meadowsweet
• Black pepper
• Rosemary
• White Willow Bark
• Echinacea
• Rose
• Wintergreen, apply topically for inflammation reduction.
• Eucalyptus helps with inflammation and insomnia.
• Juniper will help you get rid of the free radicals, which will boost your immune system.
• Devils claw reduces inflammation and pain.
• Kava besides pain, it helps with anxiety and fatigue.
• Skullcap reduces pain, anxiety tension, and stress.
• Valerian is a natural sense.
• Passiflora is a natural muscle relaxant
• Celery seed will help with insomnia.
• 1 Tbs of flax oil to help the nervous system
• 3mg of melatonin for sleep
• 250 mg of magnesium citrate to help you sleep.
• Jasmine, Lavender and chamomile and jasmine reduce stress and fatigue.

Eat Your Vegetables

Studies show that what you eat affects your nerves. So it’s suggested to eat 2 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

It’s also suggested to eat 2 1/2 cups of either nuts, legumes, or seeds. You need 4 cups of grains. 3 cups of dairy and 6 oz. of meat.

Studies show that foods that contain additives, preservatives, Trans, saturated fats increase inflammation.

Foods that are processed contain flour, sugar and yeast increase inflammation. This will increase pain.

Doctors suggest staying away from stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, tobacco. They only increase the neurotransmitter activities.

Another good idea is to drink plenty of water, take a vitamin supplement and eat foods rich in magnesium and potassium, antitoxin. Studies show that antitoxins reduce free radicals which decreases pain.

Healthy Ways to Cure the Sweet Tooth Craving

For the days you have a sweet craving bite into a delicious dark chocolate candy bar. Dark chocolate has numerous health benefits.

It increases serotonin, which stabilizes moods, it also increases endorphins, which helps boost the immune system and reduces pain.

The chocolate itself helps with immune system development and reduces inflammation.

Lastly, for my heart healthy readers, it’s shown to reduce bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure and helps people with irregular heart rhythm.