When nerves located outside the spinal cord and brain are damaged, the condition that occurs is known as neuropathy. This nerve damage causes weakness, numbness, and pain in feet and hands, as well as other areas of the body. Neuropathy can also affect the functions of the body, such as digestion and urination. In some cases, neuropathy can be treated successfully, while at other times, the patients have irreversible damage to the nerves. Either way, there are ways to prevent and manage neuropathy through treatment, diet, and lifestyle changes. For more information about neuropathy treatment in Oklahoma City, make an appointment with Dr. Robinson.
Neuropathy Treatment OKC
Dr. Darryl D. Robinson is board-certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation with a subspecialty in Pain Medicine. Dr. Robinson has used this unique skill set to provide revolutionary solutions to pain syndromes for nearly two decades. One such syndrome is neuropathy, a highly common affliction that impacts over 20 million individuals in the United States alone.
What is Neuropathy?
Neuropathy (also called peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage) is a condition where the nerves located outside the brain and spine are damaged. These nerves are responsible for conveying information from the brain and spine to the rest of the body through motor nerves. It’s also known as the central nervous system. These nerves are also responsible for sending sensory information through sensory nerves to the central nervous system.
Peripheral nerves can be damaged due to a number of reasons, including traumatic injuries, infections, and one of the most common causes: diabetes. Neuropathy causes pain, numbness, and weakness in several parts of the body, including your hands and feet. Patients also describe this pain as stabbing and burning. Whether or not neuropathy can be reversed successfully depends on the cause of the problem. Visit our reliable Oklahoma City neurologists today at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management and take precautions against neuropathy.
What Causes Neuropathy?
The neuropathy condition can derive from a variety of sources, such as chemotherapy, failed surgery, postherpetic neuralgia, phantom limb syndrome, and diabetes (roughly 60% of people with diabetes suffer from neuropathy). Neuropathy often creates a burning or tingling sensation in the back, feet, hands, thighs, or face.
Symptoms of Neuropathy
People who have diabetes have a higher chance of contracting neuropathy. Cancer patients who have been through or are undergoing chemotherapy can also develop neuropathy. Traumatic injury patients or those who have recently had surgeries can face neuropathy later in life. If you tick any of the boxes above, you need to keep an eye out for neuropathy symptoms. Since neuropathy can also spread through genes, infections, or exposure to toxins, here are some symptoms you need to look out for:
- Numbness of hands and feet
- Pain and weakness in hands and feet
- Stabbing pain in body parts
- Burning sensation in body parts
- Sensitivity to touch
- Bad coordination of muscles
- Frequent falling due to muscle weakness
- Limited movability
Besides these symptoms, neuropathy can also affect autonomic nerves. These nerves control physiological functions of the body, such as heart rate, respiration, etc. The effect on autonomic nerves can develop additional symptoms, including:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Excessive sweating
- No sweating at all
- Intolerance of heat
- Problems in digestion
- Problems with bladder
- Reduction in blood pressure
If you have a curable condition, like an infection, these symptoms can get better. In contrast, symptoms are less likely to go away if you have a permanent condition. There is a wide array of treatment plans and medicines in the neuropathy clinic in OKC that can reduce the pain associated with neuropathy. If you were searching for “neuropathy treatment near me,” your wait is over. Find the best treatment for neuropathy in Oklahoma at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management.
Treatment for Neuropathy
The treatment for neuropathy in Oklahoma can depend on several factors, including the cause, medical history, personal preferences, etc. Our Oklahoma City neurologists can guide you through the treatment process. Generally, we use multimodal therapy as our treatment option for neuropathy, which includes:
- Medications: Medications for neuropathy are available in many forms, including tablets, injections, skin patches, slow-release meds, and more.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy can improve pain in your body, helping you recover from traumatic injuries or accidents resulting in nerve damage and limited mobility. Physical therapy can also help you adapt to adjustments in life that you experience due to changes in your nervous system.
- Wearables for Rehabilitation: These wearable devices include braces, prescribed footwear, canes, walkers, etc. These equipment help in the prevention of complications associated with neuropathy.
- Other Pain Treatment Methods: If your pain doesn’t improve with standard treatment options, neurologists may recommend other treatment methods, such as acupuncture, TEN stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, or surgery.
Overall, with our neuropathy treatment in Oklahoma, you’ll get extreme pain relief and improvement in your mobility & functionality holistically, which will increase your overall quality of life. Allow us to develop a specialized treatment and pain management plan for you. Make an appointment today.
Contact the Best Oklahoma City Neurologists for Neuropathy Treatment
Our life-changing neuropathy treatments at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management will allow you to experience reduced pain and increased mobility – meaning you can return to a normal life. One thing we trust you will find refreshingly different about us is our unwavering commitment to designing a customized treatment plan for every patient. We understand your physiology is unique to you, which means a fully personalized treatment is necessary for true change to take place. Contact us to learn more today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The best hand neuropathy treatment on the underlying condition and how severe your condition is. However, here are some common approaches to managing hand neuropathy:
- Treating underlying causes like diabetes and vitamin deficiencies
- Relieving nerve pain with painkillers like Paracetamol and Ibuprofen
- Using topical treatments like Lidocaine and Capsaicin creams
- Improving hand strength and coordination through occupational or physical therapy
- Taking supplements like Benfotiamine and Alpha-lipoic acid
- Engaging in alternative therapies like acupuncture and biofeedback
In general, peripheral neuropathy cannot be cured. However, you can follow certain things to reduce the symptoms and prevent them from getting worse. For instance, treating underlying conditions like diabetes, taking pain relievers and antidepressants, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes can help you alleviate your symptoms. In severe cases, surgery can help destroy nerves or treat injuries that are causing the pain.
Book a ConsultationThe following are the most common tests that help diagnose neuropathy:
- Blood tests
- Electromyogram
- Nerve ultrasound
- Nerve biopsy
- Genetic testing
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
A person may or may not be able to reverse neuropathy depending on what caused the damage to the nerve. In some cases, the pain may completely subside, whereas in others, it may cause lasting nerve damage. Treating the underlying cause may help alleviate or even remove symptoms. For example, if an infection is the cause of neuropathy, treating it may eliminate symptoms. However, if the root cause of the neuropathy is diabetes, it can be permanently damaging, especially if it goes untreated for long.
Book a ConsultationIn peripheral neuropathy, the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord get damaged. This condition results in symptoms like weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet. It also affects other body functions like digestion and urination. Some of the main causes of peripheral neuropathy are diabetes, infections, and injuries. While this condition cannot be cured completely, you can manage the symptoms and alleviate pain by treating underlying conditions, taking medications, engaging in physical therapy, and improving lifestyle habits.
Book a ConsultationSome of the most common causes of neuropathy in feet are:
- Traumatic injuries like fractures and dislocations
- Infections like HIV and Herpes
- High blood sugar levels (Diabetes)
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin B12
- Taking certain medications like chemotherapy drugs
- Autoimmune diseases like lupus and arthritis
- Genetic inheritance
- Exposure to heavy metals
The best treatment for diabetic neuropathy is controlling blood sugar levels. By keeping your blood sugar under control, we can delay the progression of diabetic neuropathy. You can manage blood sugar levels through proper diet, exercise, and medications like antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and pain relievers. Besides these, proper foot care, weight management, physical therapy, and alternative therapies like acupuncture can help treat diabetic neuropathy.
Book a ConsultationDiabetic neuropathy usually develops in the first 10 years of being diagnosed with diabetes. However, the development of diabetic neuropathy differs from person to person. It also depends on various factors, like how long you’ve had diabetes, your blood sugar levels, and your overall health. It is worth noting that maintaining proper blood sugar levels is important to delay or prevent the development of diabetic neuropathy.
Book a ConsultationWhile the treatment for neuropathy highly depends on the cause, here are some of the most effective ones:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil, Aleve and Aspirin
- Topical medications like lidocaine patches or creams
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
- Occupational and physical therapy
- Vitamin supplements (esp for B-12 deficiency)
- A balanced diet and regular exercise
- Immunosuppressive treatment like plasmapheresis
- Braces and orthopedic support
- Acupuncture
- Mind/ body techniques like yoga and meditation
The symptoms of severe neuropathy are as follows:
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle twitching
- Cramps
- Loss of muscle and bone
- Changes in skin, hair, and nails
- Numbness in various body parts
- Extreme sensitivity to touch
- Sharp, jabbing, or throbbing pain in feet and legs
If you’re searching for doctors who specialize in peripheral neuropathy in Oklahoma, look no further than Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management. Our board-certified specialists use life-changing neuropathy treatments and are here to help you experience reduced pain and increased mobility. Our doctors understand that every patient has a unique physiology. That’s why they are dedicated to creating a fully personalized treatment plan to improve your condition. When you choose our specialists, you can trust that you’re in good hands as they’ve been serving Oklahoma residents for almost 2 decades.
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