When Should I Get Treated for Neuropathy?

Neuropathy is a condition that affects more than 20 million people in the United States. With so many people experiencing symptoms of neuropathy you’d think more people would seek treatment, however few end up actually doing so and instead live with constant pain. Our team at Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas specializes in neuropathy treatment, and we want to encourage more people to seek help and get the relief they deserve. If you are trying to decide if you should seek neuropathy treatment, let us tell you why we believe you should. 

The First Step

Understanding peripheral neuropathy is the first step to deciding whether you should seek treatment. If you don’t know what it is, how can you seek treatment? Peripheral neuropathy is rarely a standalone condition, but is a side effect of a more serious problem. Neuropathy is another word for nerve damage, and the word “peripheral” refers to the extensive network of nerves that lie outside your central nervous system (your brain and your spinal cord).

There are many conditions that can lead to nerve damage, and there are different types of nerves that can be affected, including your motor, sensory, and autonomic nerves.

What’s Next

Secondly, you need to recognise the signs of neuropathy. The symptoms that develop because of nerve damage depend upon the nerves that are affected. As we mentioned, we’re going to concentrate on sensory and motor nerves, especially in your hands, legs and feet. 

Damage to these nerves typically leads to:

• Sharp pain or burning sensations
• Numbness and tingling
• Sensitivity to heat
• Sensitivity to touch
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of balance or coordination

In extreme cases, the nerve damage can lead to paralysis, which is why early intervention is key.

When Should You Seek Treatment

Now let’s get into when you should seek treatment. As with most other conditions, the sooner you seek treatment for neuropathy, the better your outcomes are likely to be. Neuropathy and its symptoms tend to get worse over time, but our team can help you greatly reduce that progression and manage the symptoms you are experiencing now. 

Here at NPC, when you come in, we thoroughly evaluate your neuropathy and conduct studies to assess the extent of the nerve damage. Nerves don’t regenerate easily, which is why we want to intervene early so that we can slow or halt the progression of the damage.

Once we identify the cause of your nerve damage, we take steps to mitigate the underlying problem. For example, if you have peripheral neuropathy because of diabetes, we work with you to better control your diabetes in order to stop the nerve damage. Here at Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas we recognise that each patient is an individual with different needs and treatments. It’s not a “one size fits all” treatment here, and we recognise that and want to help you live a pain free life.

At Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas, neuropathy treatment is handled using non-invasive therapies. We embrace an integrated approach to wellness, believing in treating patients as whole people, not just a collection of symptoms. Striving to provide solutions that are drug-free and non-invasive, we utilize treatments like physical rehabilitation, laser therapy, dietary modification, and chiropractic care. At Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas in Arlington and Fort Worth, symptoms of neuropathy are not our only focus. In all our treatment plans, we work to actually correct the underlying cause. Prescribing medicine is not our first approach. We strive to first use physical medicine in combination with advanced medical treatments to deliver the very best results, while helping patients live their healthiest lives. Neuropathy treatment may involve physical therapy, chiropractic care, dietary changes and advanced stimulators, depending on your particular situation.