They say that no two fingerprints are alike.

  From my experience… 

No two neuropathy patients are alike. 

Some have more pain. Some more numbness. Some tingling. Some are DIABETIC. Others not diabetic. Some had cancer treatment. Others had AUTOIMMUNE PROBLEMS.  There are many ways neuropathy has been described. 

  There are many different complaints. Such as:

  Numbness, prickling, tingling, feet or hands, arms or legs, sudden onset, gradual onset, sharp, jabbing, throbbing, freezing pain, burning pain, uncoordinated, clumsy, falling, sensitivity to touch, weakness, paralysis, heat intolerance, perspiration, bowel problems, bladder issues, blood pressure, dizziness or lightheadedness.

  Everyone’s experiences are all uniquely theirs. But one thing they can ALL agree on is …

                                                                                                                                    They don’t want it.

   I’ve never met a neuropathy patient that was content with their neuropathy.    It affects their life one way or another. If you have neuropathy then you know it’s either limiting your job, interrupting your sleep, changing your mood, messing with your hobbies, ruining some of your relationships or causing worry about your future.  Also, raise your hand if you enjoy the inherent side effects of the medication.  Crickets. Of course not. Nobody’s happy to be dependent on questionable medications. Some side effects are worse than others but none of them are good.

  But what’s most daunting is when your condition deteriorates and the medication becomes less and less effective. That’s when hope diminishes. This is why it’s important to remember another common fact. There is always a reason it got there. 

If you know the reason it got there then there’s still hope for getting better. 

  But just like there’s a unique set of symptoms, there’s also a unique set of causes. Reasons why your condition manifested to begin with.

  Open your eyes to some optimistic options even if you’ve been wading through a sea of nay saying.  The process of detecting and addressing the deeper root cause of neuropathy can deliver promise that you may not have experienced yet.

  Since neuropathy literally means nerve disease or destruction then let’s look at some of the true factors that can drive damage to your nerve.  Here are some examples:

  Blood Sugar- Whether a diabetic or non-diabetic, blood sugar can be a primary factor in neuropathy.  Most diabetics have some level of neuropathy.  Scientific research and my experience prove that it is more than possible to reverse blood sugar imbalances including diabetes.

  Physical trauma – When it comes to neuropathy of a single nerve it’s usually due to an injury. This is most often on the spinal level like the back or the neck but can also be other locations like the wrists and elbows.

  Circulation Problems- Nerves need oxygen. Without it nerves get damaged. Artery inflammation from plaquing, vasculitis, smoking and more can restrict oxygen flow to the nerves.

 Immune problems/systemic inflammation – When the body has an overreactive or abnormal immune response it can cause damaging inflammation. Nerves can be perpetually destroyed as a result of this process.

  Infection – When there is an obvious or hidden infection it can create poor nerve tissue healing.  Viral, bacterial or fungal strains could all be a factors.

  HORMONE IMBALANCE – When hormones in the body get out of normal balanc it creates inflammation throughout the body affecting the nerves.

  Toxins – When the body is unable to detoxify properly it can build up with toxins. Many toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides and environmental chemicals can impact nerves.

  Cancer and chemotherapy – Cancer can destroy a nerve fiber. Whether it be through pressure from a tumor or the cancer itself. Cancer treatment can also degrade the nerve.  Chemotherapy and radiation have both been associated with this condition.

 Malabsorption – It is not uncommon today to have poor absorption of nutrients into the body. DIGESTION is an integral component of neuropathy. This can happen in the intestines but also in the nerve cells as well. When nerves don’t get their nutrients, like all cells they deteriorate.

Functional Medicine for Neuropathy

  Realizing which factors are contributing to your neuropathy is the a crucial first step to creating optimal improvement.  FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE Focuses on the true causes.  Once you know why the damage is being done there are holistic step that can be taken to help stop the destruction and allow for repair.

  While addressing the root cause healing can be accelerated through other modalities such as physiotherapy and Photobiomodulation Therapy which uses lasers or LEDs to improve tissue repair, reduce pain and inflammation wherever the beam is applied. It is important to address the root cause while using these modalities to avoid return of symptoms.