For many people, lifestyle and management changes are often successful in slowing the progression of neuropathy. The ability to stop the progression of neuropathy depends on the underlying cause of neuropathy. Some types of neuropathy can be treated and it is possible to slow progression, while others cannot. If you have neuropathy, you may have already been told that it is a difficult condition to treat and that neuropathy is not curable.
In fact, there is no treatment available that can cure or reverse neuropathy. However, there are several medical approaches that can help prevent neuropathy from getting worse. And there are effective ways to help relieve the symptoms of neuropathy. Some forms of peripheral neuropathy can be avoided by maintaining good health habits.
Eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and abstaining from excessive alcohol can help prevent nerve damage. Avoiding injury and toxic chemicals and carefully managing underlying disorders, such as diabetes, can also help prevent peripheral neuropathy. The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy vary depending on the type you have and the part of your body affected. Symptoms can range from tingling or numbness in a certain part of the body to more serious effects, such as burning pain or paralysis.
What is peripheral neuropathy? How are peripheral neuropathies classified? What are the symptoms of peripheral nerve damage? What are the causes of peripheral neuropathy? How is peripheral neuropathy diagnosed? What treatments are available? How can I prevent neuropathy? What research is being done? Where can I get more information? Some forms of neuropathy involve damage to a single nerve (called mononeuropathy). Neuropathy that affects two or more nerves in different areas is called multiple mononeuropathy or multiple mononeuropathy. Most often, many or most nerves are affected (called polyneuropathy). This type of progressive, aggressive neuropathy is described as an ascending neuropathy that begins in the feet and gradually moves through the body to eventually weaken the muscles that control breathing.
Early diagnosis and treatment of peripheral neuropathy is important, because peripheral nerves have a limited ability to regenerate and treatment can only stop progression, not reverse damage. Some people with diabetic neuropathy notice an improvement in symptoms and even experience an improvement in their own neuropathy with good blood sugar control, particularly if neuropathy is detected early and diabetes is well controlled before neuropathy progresses. Treatments to slow progression and pain management treatments will vary depending on the specific cause of the neuropathy and many personal factors.
