Nutritional Therapy and Neuropathy in Baltimore
Doctors of Chiropractic such as those at Perry Hall Chiropractic and Physical Therapy see many different musculoskeletal conditions particularly low back pain, neck pain, and headaches. It is inevitable that in the multitudes of patients they see for these three conditions and all of the other health depleting conditions they treat daily that many of the people seeking chiropractic care will suffer from neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy (more commonly referred to simply as \"neuropathy\") is damage or disease that affects nerves. This damage or disease impairs sensation, the ability to move, gland and/or organ function, and other aspects of health all of which depends on the type of nerve affected. Common causes include systemic diseases such as diabetes, vitamin deficiency, medication that includes chemotherapy treatment for cancer, traumatic injury, alcohol consumption, immune system disease, infection, or it may be inherited and is present from birth extending throughout the lifespan (examples of inherited neuropathy include conditions such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth).
It is interesting to note that neuropathy can be caused by a deficiency in vitamin B12 or niacin but toxic levels of niacin or vitamin B6 can also be causative factors. Apparently, niacin must be consumed in proper doses as both a deficiency as well as toxic levels of niacin can cause neuropathy. Since nutritional deficiency or toxicity may play a role in the onset of neuropathy, can nutritional supplementation help relieve the symptoms of neuropathy? According to recent studies, the answer is that targeted application of specific nutritional supplements may be helpful in reversing many types of neuropathies.
The ability of the peripheral nerves to regenerate by repairing internal nerve damage is highly dependent upon the nerve cells being able to make certain chemical conversions. However, certain nutrients may be more beneficial in certain types of neuropathy than in others. For instance, a specific form of thiamine known as benfotiamine is absorbed at higher rates than other forms and can offer tremendously increased levels of metabolically active thiamine to the nerve cells. Because benfotiamine is lipid soluble it is better capable of penetrating the lipid-based nerve membranes so more of it can get to the areas of the nerve that need it the most. A number of well done studies have shown that benfotiamine can reduce peripheral neuropathy symptoms and increase nerve conduction. The most common form of neuropathy tested in these studies was diabetic neuropathy and the most common daily dosage given was 150-300 mg. consumed twice daily.
Other nutritional supplements used to treat various neuropathies include pantothenic acid, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin B12, curcumin, L-carnitine, CoQ10, essential fatty acid, as well as vitamin E. However, as helpful as nutritional supplements can be to eliminating some of the devastating symptoms of neuropathy, additional therapy will be necessary if damage to the nerves involved mechanical injury such as spinal degeneration may cause.
Chiropractic care such as that offered at Perry Hall Chiropractic and Physical Therapy has been utilized for neuropathy caused by nerve interference in the low back and neck areas for a long time, which makes sense. If there are mechanical problems causing neuropathy then mechanical treatment modalities should be used to correct them. Only after the mechanical nerve impingement is removed from placing pressure on the nerve can nutritional supplements make a significant impact on regenerating the damaged nerve. Your local Doctor of Chiropractic or specifically those at Perry Hall Chiropractic and Physical Therapy can counsel you on the best care for your peripheral neuropathy problem to include both chiropractic adjusting of the spine and nutritional supplementation.
Perry Hall Chiropractic & Physical Therapy
