Essential Naples Spring 2022

Page 44

Health

Find Relief from the Pain of Peripheral Neuropathy

ESSENTIAL Naples

without Addictive Drugs

SPRING 2022

42 By Dr. Richard Hiler, DABCN

“Thankfully, physical medicine provides alternative therapeutic and rehabilitating procedures that can significantly improve the condition, offer pain relief, and limit drug dependency.” —Dr. Richard Hiler, DABCN

08 ESN Spring 22 Layout vFINAL.indd 42

O

ver 116 million people suffer from various types of chronic pain disorders, 20 million of whom have peripheral neuropathy—a number that is speculated to be much higher due to patients not getting a proper diagnosis.

Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a complex condition. Peripheral nerves run from the spinal cord to the arms, hands, legs, and feet, and damage to and signaling of these nerves are the issue in peripheral neuropathy. A comprehensive plan can be customized to regenerate a patient’s nerves, cells, and tissues by finding the root cause. High blood sugar levels, along with low blood, oxygen supply, nutrient deficiency, high toxicity, and inflammation, damage the nerves throughout the body. This damage generally affects the long peripheral nerves that feed sensations to the legs, feet, and toes through communication with the brain. If your condition has progressed, you may feel nerve damage sensations in your upper extremities as well. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

• • • • • • • • • • •

Numbness Tingling Burning sensations Painful aching Joint inflammation Joint damage Balance issues Skin discoloration and texture changes Muscle cramps Feelings of stiffness Non-healing foot and ankle ulcers

Stop Masking Symptoms and Pain

The most common treatment for nerve pain and numbness is to mask it with narcotic prescription pain medications. Narcotics like opioids are highly addictive, and our state is currently leading the country in abusing and overdosing on opioids. Thankfully, physical medicine provides alternative therapeutic and rehabilitating procedures that can significantly improve the condition, offer pain relief, and limit drug dependency:

3/18/22 10:38 AM


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