Neuropathy is a painful condition that can make it difficult to move around, maintain your balance or even sleep comfortably. Fortunately, an experienced neuropathy doctor can create a custom treatment plan based on your unique needs. Learn more about how neuropathy treatment in Canton can help you stop nerve pain in its tracks and return to your everyday activities.
What Is Neuropathy? Understanding the Condition
Neuropathy is a condition that affects the nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord. These nerves make up your peripheral nervous system. When the PNS functions normally, it acts as a messenger between the central nervous system (CNS) and other parts of the body. For example, the PNS plays a role in controlling muscle movements.
Peripheral neuropathy has been linked to many conditions, but it usually occurs in one of two ways:
- Axonal degeneration. Each nerve cell contains an axon, which has finger-like extensions (synapses) leading to nearby nerve cells. The axon is where electrical signals turn into chemical signals. Axonal degeneration causes axons to die, leading to peripheral neuropathy and other symptoms.
- Myelin deterioration. Myelin is the protective layer surrounding the axons. When it breaks down, it takes longer for electrical signals to move through the nervous system.
Common Symptoms and Causes of Neuropathy
Neuropathy typically causes three types of symptoms: motor, sensory/pain and autonomic. Motor symptoms affect your muscles, which is why neuropathy makes it difficult to move around. For example, some people with neuropathy experience muscle weakness or uncontrolled muscle movements.
Sensory symptoms occur when your peripheral nervous system either doesn’t communicate with the brain effectively or can’t pick up accurate information about your environment. Common sensory symptoms include tingling, numbness and pain. You may also stumble or lose your balance frequently, as your PNS may not be able to sense the objects around you.
Autonomic symptoms involve bodily functions that occur automatically, such as breathing and sweating. Damage to the peripheral nerves may cause high blood pressure, bladder problems, sexual dysfunction or bowel problems. Some people sweat excessively, while others don’t sweat enough to keep them cool. In some cases, peripheral neuropathy causes sudden changes in pupil size.
Common Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy
More than a dozen health conditions have been linked to peripheral neuropathy. Here are some of the most common:
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Type 2 diabetes
- Lupus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Genetic conditions
- Trauma
- Surgery
Some people also develop neuropathy due to the long-term use of medications or exposure to certain toxins. For example, an individual who works with industrial chemicals may develop peripheral neuropathy at some point, especially if they don’t wear personal protective equipment or take other precautions.
Why Early Treatment Is Essential for Nerve Health
Peripheral neuropathy often causes symptoms long before it causes permanent nerve damage. Seeing a neuropathy doctor early on can help you prevent the condition from getting worse. For example, if your neuropathy is the result of diabetes, a specialist can help you get your blood sugar under control, reducing the risk of additional nerve problems.
Non-Surgical Neuropathy Treatment Options in Canton
At Georgia Medical Treatment Center, our specialists aim to relieve your pain and help you recover as much function as possible. We offer non-surgical neuropathy treatment in Canton, so there’s no need to worry about long recovery times or surgical complications. Before we develop your customized treatment plan, we’ll also perform several tests to determine the extent of your nerve damage. This helps us choose the most effective combination of therapies.
How Georgia Medical Treatment Center Provides Lasting Relief
Our neuropathy clinic in Canton offers several non-surgical treatment options. These options are highly effective, and you don’t have to take daily medications or spend days in bed recovering.
- Nerve block injections. Nerve blocks provide temporary relief of the pain caused by neuropathy. The reason they work so well is because they prevent damaged nerves from sending faulty electrical signals. We use advanced medical imaging to identify specific nerves and deliver targeted treatment.
- Electrical anesthesia. Electrical anesthesia uses painless electrical signals to desensitize damage nerves.
- Rebuilder therapy. Rebuilder therapy retrains damaged nerves, which helps them function normally instead of misfiring. This treatment is administered with a conductive glove, foot bath or sock.
- Physical therapy. Physical therapy doesn’t target damaged nerves directly, but it can help you strengthen muscles that have gotten weaker due to motor neuropathy. We have an on-site physical therapy department, so there’s no need to visit one clinic for PT and another clinic for targeted neuropathy treatment.
Take Control of Your Neuropathy: Schedule a Consultation Today
Georgia Medical Treatment Clinic has board-certified physicians, physical therapists and other medical professionals available to treat your neuropathy. If you’re ready to regain lost function and reduce neuropathy-related pain, contact Georgia Medical Treatment Center to schedule a consultation with one of our specialists.
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