Do you have sensations of numbness, tingling, or pain in your extremities beyond the feelings you get when limbs “fall asleep?” You may also be suffering from peripheral neuropathy. The network of nerves that control our muscles and allow us to use our senses to experience the world radiates from the nerves within the spinal column.
If these nerves become damaged within the spine, the sensations can be felt throughout the body, especially in the hands and feet. The resulting interference with the central nervous system can cause significant complications with other bodily systems and functions, including digestion and circulation.
Causes and symptoms of neuropathy:
It is estimated that 25-30% of Americans will suffer from neuropathy at some point in their lives. The symptoms of neuropathy vary and are determined mainly by the underlying cause, which could be a traumatic injury, complications from diabetes, exposure to toxins, or even chemotherapy. In each case, the result is damage to nerve cells, which interrupts the normal flow of information to and from the brain to the rest of the body.
This can affect the sensory, motor, or autonomic nerve systems, which is why the manifestation of the disease can result in pain, numbness, loss of control over limbs, or problems with the body’s autonomic processes.
Some symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are as follows:
- Pain, tingling, or numbness: when the sensory nerves are damaged, the flow of information between the limbs and the brain is disrupted, so patients report a variety of symptoms ranging from a burning or tingling feeling, like pins and needles, to numbness, especially in the hands and feet.
- Motor control problems: people can suffer a loss of control over their limbs, resulting in dangerous situations such as falling. Additionally, some patients suffer from uncontrolled muscle spasms or cramps, or temporary paralysis in different parts of the body.
- Autonomic problems: because it can also affect the nerves in charge of circulation, digestion, and urination, normal bodily processes can be interrupted in some cases. The results can be sexual dysfunction, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment:
As in any case of cellular damage, the body contains mechanisms for repair that can be harnessed by certain therapeutic approaches. In platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment, the patient is given a concentrated solution created from their own platelets, which are extracted and spun in a centrifuge to create a solution with an abundance of these important cells.
Platelets have the ability to encourage repair and renewal of damaged cells within the body, so injecting a concentrated solution at the site of the nerve damage can help the body begin the healing process for itself, correcting the problems created by the initial nerve cell damage.
If you are looking for relief from the pain associated with neuropathy, call our offices today. Our doctors are knowledgeable and highly skilled at helping patients get non-invasive relief for their peripheral neuropathy pain.