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Nervous System and Its Function to Our Body
The nervous system is often referred to as a control center for all aspects of a person's life. It can be compared to a central computer, which sends and receives information from different parts of the body through nerve cells or neurons. The nerves continuously deliver information about your body's function and health. In fact, they also help control how you move, what you feel, and how each of your senses perceives the world around you. All this information is then sent to your brain so it can respond accordingly.
Nerves are created in bundles, located throughout the body. These bundles are referred to as nerves spanning from head to toe on either side of our bodies called the cranial and the spinal nerves. For example, the left and right cranial nerves are responsible for vision or hearing functions. The left and right spinal nerves control movements, sensation, and muscle activity.
The Nerves in Our Spine
Spinal nerve roots emerge from each vertebra of your spine forming a bundle that is enclosed by connective tissues referred to as ligaments. These bundles are located in the spinal canal, which is a hollow part of your spine. Spinal nerves are responsible for carrying information between your brain and spinal cord with other parts of your body.
The nerve roots have to pass through many bony openings in the spine called the neural foramina before reaching their destination at each vertebra. These openings are located at the sides of each vertebra allowing the nerves to pass through them during development. The nerve rootlets that exit the spine before making a connection with another nerve or muscle are known as peripheral nerves.
The Dangers of Damaged Nerves
Nerve damage occurs when there is an interruption in nervous system function. The most common cause of nerve damage is pressure. This can be due to physical or spastic activity, tumors that are located on the spine or brain, long term problems with posture, circulatory conditions that affect blood flow in our body, obesity which may result in pressure on nerves located near our belly button, lifting heavy objects improperly and so forth.
Nerves that are damaged as a result of pressure can lose their ability to transmit signals. This can be extremely dangerous and even lead to paralysis if the damage is extensive throughout the body. Nerve damage may also indicate another underlying condition like diabetes or osteoporosis.
What is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Peripheral Neuropathy is a common form of nerve damage that is often referred to as PN. This type of neuropathy can have many symptoms, which include:
- Numbness or tingling sensations in legs, feet, hands, arms, and/or other areas of the body
- Loss of feeling in our fingers, toes
- Muscle weakness that may be permanent
- Tremors or shakes when trying to move the affected body part
- Bladder problems including incontinence or infrequent urination
- Heart or digestive problems that may also be associated with changes in blood pressure
An individual may develop peripheral neuropathy due to various reasons including physical injury, metabolic conditions, toxic exposures, diabetes during pregnancy, infections including hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV infection, and others. Peripheral neuropathy can also appear without an apparent cause.
How can you Prevent Peripheral Neuropathy?
Preventing peripheral neuropathy is possible by avoiding injury to the affected regions of the body. This can be done by regularly doing certain exercises that can keep muscle tone in good shape and lessen pressure on nerves. Keeping blood sugar levels under control may also help prevent diabetic neuropathy, which accounts for 80% or more cases of peripheral neuropathy. People who have peripheral neuropathy as a result of diabetes may take certain medications and insulin injections to control blood sugar levels.
What are the Types of Peripheral Neuropathy?
There are a few types of peripheral neuropathy these are:
- Causalgia or Sudeck's atrophy -This condition is characterized by burning pain in the arms and legs, which occurs after an injury to a nerve root. People who suffer from this condition also develop tenderness on touch, inflammation, and joint stiffness.
- Diabetic neuropathy - This occurs mainly in people who have diabetes or are at risk for developing this chronic health condition. Diabetic neuropathy can result in sensory problems, pain, loss of balance, and difficulty walking due to numbness, tingling sensation on the feet and legs.
- Mononeuropathy - This is the damage to one nerve, which is often associated with an accident or physical injury.
- Polyneuropathy - A serious form of peripheral neuropathy that is caused by the degeneration of multiple nerves throughout your body resulting in problems with movement and balance.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned, then it would be prudent to consult a medical professional at the earliest opportunity in order to diagnose and treat the condition.
What are the Treatments for Peripheral Neuropathy?
The treatment for peripheral neuropathy can vary based on the underlying cause, type of nerve damage, the severity of symptoms, and individual factors. Treatments can include medications that can help relieve pain caused by damaged nerves in the body, regular exercises can also help ease pressure on nerves. Taking special precautions to handle injuries can be important since they can aggravate the condition and can even worsen the pain.
Certain foods can also help improve nerve health and can be beneficial for people suffering from peripheral neuropathy, although it is recommended to consult a medical professional before taking supplements or changing your diet. A few of these include:
- Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce inflammation in the body and can help with nerve function. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting any supplement regimen.
- Vitamin B12 can help with the formation of red blood cells that can improve nerve health, healthy nerves can result in reduced pain and tingling sensation.
- Magnesium is an essential mineral for nerve function and overall cellular health. https://www.oldhouseonline.com It can also help treat conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
- Vitamin E can help improve the symptoms of nerve damage caused by cutting back on alcohol and can also reduce symptoms.
How Can Chiropractic Help Peripheral Neuropathy?
Most people are wondering if can chiropractic helps peripheral neuropathy. A few chiropractors may recommend surgery or drugs to treat certain conditions but chiropractors like Dr. Rob Neuenschwander of Neu Life Chiropractic in Tomball, TX, can actually help improve symptoms through a simple yet effective method. Using gentle force on the affected nerve can help reduce pressure on the nerves and can also reduce the pain caused by nerve damage. This can be done without having to go under the knife for surgery or taking drugs that can have harmful side effects.
Using various techniques can chiropractic help peripheral neuropathy and minimize nerve pressure can also work with you to come up with a chiropractic care schedule at Neu Life Chiropractic in Tomball, TX, that can help you stay comfortable and can improve your overall health.
Dr. Rob Neuenschwander can help improve symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy through chiropractic adjustments and can also prescribe exercises that can help with nerve-related conditions. This can be done without having to undergo surgery or taking medications that can come with side effects such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, hair loss, nausea, insomnia, and others.
The gentle force applied on the nerves by trained and experienced chiropractors can chiropractic help peripheral neuropathy by reducing nerve pressure and can also improve your overall health. Typically, you can expect to be on a chiropractic care plan that can include:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Exercise regimen
- Vitamin and dietary supplements can all contribute to better nerve function, which can lead to relief from pain, muscle spasms, and can even improve sleep.
While can chiropractic help peripheral neuropathy help improve nerve-related symptoms, it can be important to consistently take medications as prescribed by your doctor. Since this can be an individual case, there are no standard recommendations yet.
Regular exercise can also help improve nerve function and can assist with muscle spasms can also reduce back pain that may worsen the condition.
When to See Your Chiropractor?
You can start seeing your chiropractor like Dr. Rob Neuenschwander right away if you are experiencing the following symptoms:
- Numbness or tingling sensation in the arms or legs
- Loss of balance and coordination
If you have been recently diagnosed with a nerve-related health condition, then you can start seeing your chiropractor right away as well.
What are the Benefits of Chiropractic Care?
Apart from being able to help improve nerve function can chiropractic help peripheral neuropathy can also provide you with a more holistic approach to treating conditions associated with peripheral neuropathy. You can expect them to look at your overall health and can also improve muscle strength and can even assist with the management of stress levels.
Since chiropractors can treat the whole body, they also can have a positive impact on your overall health and can help with the management of other conditions that can interfere with your nerve function and can even help you manage stress levels.
If you are experiencing symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy, then chiropractic care can be a safe and effective treatment method to consider as an alternative to surgery and medication.
Conclusion
If you're suffering from peripheral neuropathy, don't give up hope. Dr. Rob Neuenschwander can help with nerve-related conditions without surgeries or medications that come with side effects like abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, hair loss, nausea, and insomnia among others. He's currently accepting new patients at his chiropractic clinic Neu Life Chiropractic. For inquiries and schedules visit his website at www.neulifechiro.com or call at (281) 255-3500 today to see how he can help improve your symptoms!