How to treat neuropathy in the legs

Video: Peripheral Neuropathy Relief in the Feet & Legs - Ask Doctor Jo

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 3: Change your lifestyle
Part 2 of 3: Medication
Part 3 of 3: Improve Your Health
Tips
Additional articles

Neuropathy is a disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS controls motor, sensory, and automatic (such as blood pressure and sweating) functions in the body. When nerves are damaged, different symptoms can occur, depending on which nerves are affected. Foot neuropathy affects 2.4% of all people, including 8% over 55 years old. Although diabetes is the main cause, neuropathy can be inherited or due to infection, other disease, or injury, so you should see your doctor to treat it.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Change your lifestyle

1 Walk regularly. Try to get out of the house at least three times a week, or do an exercise that is safe for you. You can also ask your doctor for advice on an appropriate exercise regimen. Exercise will improve blood flow and nutrition to damaged nerves. Walking lowers your overall blood sugar and helps you better control your diabetes. If you manage your diabetes, you can reduce your neuropathy.
- If you find it difficult to find free time to exercise, remember that it is enough to take small steps. For example, you might be cleaning the house, playing with your dog, or washing your car yourself. All of these activities promote blood circulation.
2 Do foot baths. Fill a small container (such as a basin) with warm water and add 1 cup (about 420 grams) of Epsom salts for every liter of water. Make sure that the water temperature does not exceed 40 degrees. Then put your feet in the water. Warm water can help you relax and relieve pain in your feet. Epsom salt also contains magnesium, which can help relax muscles.
- If you have an infection or swelling, check with your doctor before using Epsom salts.
3 Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption. Alcohol is toxic to nerves, especially if they are already damaged. Limit your alcohol intake to 4 servings (one serving is about 40 milliliters of spirits, 120 milliliters of wine, or 250 milliliters of beer) consumed evenly throughout the week. Some types of neuropathy develop due to alcoholism, so if you have neuropathy, you should refrain from alcohol. Avoiding alcohol will help alleviate symptoms and prevent further nerve damage.
- If you have a history of alcoholism in your family, you may need to stop drinking altogether. Consider giving up alcohol entirely to help you stay healthy.
4 Take evening primrose oil. This natural oil is obtained from wild flowers and is available in tablet form. Ask your doctor for advice on the appropriate dosage of a dietary supplement that contains evening primrose oil. Studies have shown that the fatty acids in this oil can alleviate the symptoms of neuropathy. These fatty acids improve nerve function.
- The beneficial fatty acid GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) is also found in borage oil and black currant oil.
5 Try acupuncture. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves inserting fine needles into specific points on the body. Stimulation of these active, or acupuncture points, releases endorphins that relieve pain. The acupuncturist will insert four to ten needles into the acupuncture points and leave them there for about half an hour.It will take 6-12 sessions over three months.
- Before contacting an acupuncturist, check their reputation. Find out if he has the necessary equipment and sterile needles to avoid possible infections.
6 Consider complementary and alternative treatments. In addition to acupuncture, the symptoms of neuropathy can be relieved with medication and low-intensity electromyostimulation. Electromyostimulation uses probes rechargeable from a set of small batteries and placed on the skin around the areas where pain is felt. As a result, a closed electrical circuit is formed, and an electric current passes through the diseased areas, which stimulates them. Electromyostimulation has been shown to be effective in treating certain types of neuropathic pain, although more research is needed.
- Try meditation. Meditation methods such as walking meditation, zazen (seated meditation), qigong, or tai chi may be suitable. Studies have shown that regular meditation can help reduce pain.

Part 2 of 3: Medication

1 Take medication prescribed by your doctor. There are many different drugs available to treat neuropathy. Your doctor will pay special attention to the underlying disease or disorder, which will help alleviate symptoms and improve the functioning of the nerves in your legs. The doctor may prescribe the following medications:
- Amitriptyline. Originally developed as an antidepressant, this drug has shown positive results in the treatment of neuropathic pain. For starters, you should take a minimum dose of 25 milligrams per day. You can then gradually increase the dosage to 150 mg per day. This medication must be taken at bedtime. Amitriptyline is not prescribed for those with suicidal tendencies.
- Pregabalin. This sedative is usually prescribed for peripheral neuropathic pain caused by diabetes mellitus. You should start with the lowest possible dose, and then you can increase it with the permission of your doctor. The maximum dose is 50-100 milligrams three times a day. Over time, the maximum dosage can be increased to 600 milligrams per day, with no further increase in dosage.
- Duloxetine. This medication is commonly used to relieve pain in cases of neuropathy in diabetes mellitus. The dosage starts at 60 milligrams per day, taken by mouth. The dose can then be doubled and the results of the treatment are checked after 2 months. Although it is possible to double the dose, in most cases dosages above 60 milligrams per day are not more effective and may cause side effects.
- Combined therapy. Your doctor may recommend taking several medications at the same time, such as tricyclic antidepressants, venlafaxine, or tramadol. For neuropathy, this method may give better results than using a single drug.
2 Take your doctor's prescribed opiates. Your doctor may prescribe long-acting opiates to help reduce pain in neuropathy. As a rule, this requires an individual approach, since side effects such as dependence, addiction (the effect of the drug decreases over time) and headaches are possible.
- For chronic neuropathy (dysimmune neuropathy), your doctor may prescribe immunosuppressive drugs (such as cyclophosphamide) if other drugs do not help.
3 Talk to your doctor about surgery. Depending on the cause of the neuropathy, your doctor may recommend decompression surgery. This operation will release the pinched nerves, which will help them function properly. Decompression surgery is often used to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition, such surgeries can be beneficial for certain types of hereditary neuropathy that are associated with problems with the feet and ankles.
- Peripheral amyloid neuropathy can be treated with a liver transplant, as this type of neuropathy is associated with improper metabolism in the liver.

Part 3 of 3: Improve Your Health

1 Include more vitamins in your diet. Unless you have diabetes or other overt systemic diseases, neuropathy can be caused by a lack of vitamins E, B1, B6, and B12. Always check with your doctor before taking vitamin supplements. The doctor must determine the cause of the neuropathy before recommending nutritional supplements or other treatments.
- To get more vitamins from a healthy diet, eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, and liver.
2 Control your diabetes. Neuropathy usually develops many years after the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Controlling diabetes properly helps prevent neuropathy or slow its progression. Usually, however, neuropathy cannot be completely cured once it has begun to develop. Your doctor will pay special attention to controlling diabetes and relieving pain caused by neuropathy.
- You need to monitor your blood glucose levels. On an empty stomach, this level should be 70-130 mg / dL (3.9-7.2 mmol / L), and two hours after breakfast, it should not exceed 180 mg / dL (10 mmol / L). Blood pressure should also be monitored.
3 Prevent injury and ulceration. Neuropathy can lead to numbness in the feet, which increases the likelihood of injuries such as cuts, punctures, and scrapes. Be sure to wear socks and shoes both indoors and outdoors. Repeated injury to the feet can lead to poorly healing ulcers. Also, when you visit your doctor regularly, ask him to examine your feet.
- Wear loose-fitting shoes, such as slippers, but avoid shoes, sandals, or flip-flops with insufficient foot support. Shoes that are too tight can interfere with blood circulation in the feet, increasing the risk of ulceration.
- Make sure your toenails are the right length. This will prevent ingrown nails from forming. Be careful when cutting your nails. Do not use blades to avoid accidental cuts.
4 Keep sores that have already formed are clean. Rinse the affected area with warm water and salt. Take a sterile bandage for this and soak it in salted water, then remove the dead tissue from the ulcers. Then apply a dry, sterile dressing to the ulcers. Change the dressing once or twice a day, or more often if it gets damp. If the ulcer gives off an unpleasant odor, see your doctor immediately, as this could indicate a rather serious infection.
- If ulcers develop, tell your doctor immediately. If the ulcers are small, they can be treated with dressings and antibiotics. However, large ulcers are often difficult to treat and can even lead to amputation of the toes or feet.
5 Ease the pain. With neuropathy, pain can be of varying intensity. If you are experiencing mild to moderate pain, try over-the-counter pain relievers. For example, you can take 400 milligrams of ibuprofen or 300 milligrams of aspirin 2-3 times a day.
- Remember to take antiulcer medications, as pain relievers (ibuprofen and others) irritate the stomach lining. For example, you can take 150 milligrams of ranitidine twice daily before meals.
6 Seek medical attention to cope with the medical conditions that lead to neuropathy. Neuropathy can be caused by diseases of the kidneys, liver or endocrine system, in which case the cause must be treated. If a nerve is compressed or other localized problem, physical therapy or surgery may help.
- If you experience neuropathy, you should consult your doctor, including before taking any dietary supplement.

Tips

The disease can be acute or chronic. In the case of acute neuropathy, an immediate medical examination is required.
Sometimes the symptoms of neuropathy can be alleviated by rehydrating the body (increase your water intake) and by using compression stockings.