The Cause Of Your Neuropathy Is Far Less Important Than Finding The Best Treatment

Today's post written by Dr. John Hayes jr for his neuropathydr.com (see link below) reinforces what this blog has tried to hammer home over the years and that is that although not all peripheral neuropathies are the same, the symptoms and effects pretty much are. This means that whatever the cause of your neuropathy, the treatment for that neuropathy is pretty much the same across the board. This doesn't mean that the original cause shouldn't be treated...of course it should but the resulting nerve damage symptoms have been treated by the same range of medications and therapies for a very long time. So although you will see many, many neuropathy sites referring to diabetic neuropathy, that's only because diabetes is by far the commonest cause but the information on those sites regarding the nerve damage itself, applies to you too...irrespective of the cause. So don't be put off by the title of a neuropathy information site...the content probably applies to you too. Do watch out for sites that are just trying to empty your wallet though. There is no current cure for neuropathy, so any site that claims to have a 'cure' can be disregarded straight away. Do your research and try to find treatments and therapies that apply to your symptoms and level of discomfort. Establishing the cause of your neuropathy is only the beginning (and very often they can't find that cause...hence the diagnosis... idiopathic neuropathy) what happens after that is what's important, as you try to find ways of managing the disease that best fit your individual case.

Are All the Peripheral Neuropathies the Same
by john | Jan 21, 2019 Neuropathy

No. All the peripheral neuropathies are not the same. We find, though, that the patients who present with peripheral neuropathy, regardless of the cause, do have remarkably similar symptoms.

The good news with our treatment program has been that even in the presence of similar symptoms from different etiologies (causes), the corrective care for is often remarkably effective regardless of the primary cause. That is the beauty of the treatment system that we have been able to employ.

In order to find out what components of peripheral neuropathy you have, your doctor will need to conduct a very thorough evaluation. This will include things such as your vital signs, body mass index, the mobility and range of motion of your lower back and hips, and the overall health of your feet, skin, nails and hair, blood vessels and circulation. This might include Doppler ultrasound, a simple painless test to check for blood flow or blockages.

As the doctor performs her clinical examination, she’ll also perform a very thorough neurological examination including reflexes, muscle-testing, and sensation to touch using a device as simple as a pin, a brush or perhaps even a pinwheel. Doctors commonly will also check your vibration sensation, which very often is disturbed in peripheral neuropathy. This is done painlessly and very easily through the use of simple tuning forks. Your balance will be assessed.

Laboratory tests may very well be performed. These would include things such as a chemistry panel, kidney and liver function. Your doctor will also want to double check your blood sugar levels and more than likely perform a hemoglobin A1c.

This particular test is very good at identifying patients who may be borderline diabetic.

We find many patients who present with neuropathy symptoms have not yet been diagnosed with diabetes but may very well suffer from what’s called metabolic syndrome. This is when your body abnormally handles blood sugar, which may unfortunately lead to the development of neuropathy and other diabetic complications well before the formal diagnosis is made.

All the more reason to really be sure to work with the most knowledgeable physicians.

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https://neuropathydr.com/are-all-the-peripheral-neuropathies-the-same/