About Neuropathy

Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage or degeneration of the nerves located throughout the arms, legs, hands, and feet. While your brain and spinal cord make up your central nervous system (CNS), the nerves throughout your arms, legs, hands, and feet make up your peripheral nervous system. Your peripheral nerves communicate with your central nervous system by sending sensory information, like that your hands are cold, or other signals, such as telling your muscles to contract so you can move.

In neuropathy, nerve signaling can be disrupted in three main ways, including loss of signals usually sent, improper signaling when there shouldn’t be any, and errors that alter messages being sent. These disruptions can cause many different symptoms, such as numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, fingers, and toes, weakness in hands or legs, cramps in legs, muscle tremors, muscle shrinking, or loss of dexterity. Symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of damage and type of nerve fibers impacted. The most common causes of peripheral neuropathy include infections, traumatic injuries, metabolic problems, exposure to toxins, and inherited causes. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of neuropathy.

Our main goal in repairing damaged nerves and reversing neuropathy is to regenerate the nerves by stimulating growth of the nerve fibers. Our doctors achieve this stimulation by increasing circulation and blood flow to the damaged nerves. Since oxygen and nutrients carried by the blood are critical in the formation of new cells and tissues, increased circulation ensures adequate oxygen and nutrient supply is delivered to the affected nerves. Our doctors offer four main treatments for nerve regeneration in peripheral neuropathy, including:

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelets are cells in your blood that bind together when they sense damaged tissue. Your platelets become highly active repair cells when they are extracted from your blood and processed in a concentrated form. Once processed as concentrated platelet rich plasma, our doctors then inject it back into your body in the damaged area, resulting in expedited healing and reduction or elimination of symptoms.

Wharton’s Jelly

Wharton’s Jelly is a gelatinous substance that insulates and protects the umbilical cord. It contains stem cells and growth factors found in the umbilical cord. When injected into damaged areas of the body, Wharton’s Jelly has been shown to accelerate the healing and repair process, creating lasting pain relief.

HealthLight Therapy

HealthLight therapy uses red and infrared light wavelengths to increase local circulation and promote healing at a cellular level.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays a key role in recovery from peripheral neuropathy. Eliminating certain foods that contribute to nerve degeneration and nourishing your body with foods that promote healing will help to decrease inflammation and increase the process of tissue repair. Our doctors provide patients with nutritional guidance to help you understand how diet and exercise can lead you to better health.