Home Remedies for Peripheral Neuropathy

Table of content

• Types of Peripheral Nerves

• Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

• Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy

• Home Remedies for Peripheral Neuropathy

• Preventive Measures for Peripheral Neuropathy

• When to See the Doctor?

• Take-Home Points

• FAQ on home remedies for peripheral neuropathy

Introduction

Your body is like a machine where the nerves are connected from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body like tubes. The messages (neural impulses) from the central nervous system (which comprises the brain and spinal cord) reach the extremities of the body with the help of nerves namely motor, sensory and autonomic nerves. When the nerves get damaged due to various underlying causes, there would be difficulties in perceiving various stimuli like temperature, pain and tactile sensation. This condition of damaged nerves makes it difficult for you to process the external stimuli and is called peripheral neuropathy. In the article, you would know about the causes, preventive measures and also eight home remedies to alleviate neuropathy. 

Types of Peripheral Nerves

There are almost three types of peripheral nerves. The symptoms differ based on the type of nerves damaged, 

Motor Nerves

Motor nerves are the nerves that run from your brain to the muscles to control your muscle movements. 

Sensory Nerves

Sensory nerves are those which go from the brain to the sensory organs like skin, eyes, ears and nose. 

Autonomic Nerves

The autonomic nervous system mostly controls involuntary and some involuntary movements like temperature regulation, heartbeat, bladder functions and blood pressure control. 

Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral Neuropathy is due to the damage caused to the peripheral nerves. These damages can occur due to various causes like, 

• High alcohol consumption 

• Traumatic injuries 

• Severe infections 

• Diabetes mellitus

The effects of peripheral neuropathy can appear suddenly or develop with time depending upon the severity and types of nerves damaged. 

Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy 

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend upon the nerves affected. 

If your motor nerves are affected you would experience symptoms like, 

• Difficulty in moving legs or arms 

• Common muscle weakness 

• Uncontrolled jerking or twitching 

• Delayed or decreased reflexes 

If your sensory nerves are affected you would experience symptoms like,

• Tingling or burning sensations 

• Inability to sense temperatures 

• Loss of coordination and reflexes

If your autonomic nerves are affected you would experience symptoms like,

• Loss of control over bladder and bowels

• Nausea and dizziness 

• Difficulty swallowing 

• Irregular heartbeats

Home Remedies for Peripheral Neuropathy 

Here are the eight home remedies that can alleviate your pain due to peripheral neuropathy,

Take Warm Baths 

Taking a warm bath can increase blood circulation and decrease the pain caused by numbness in the body. But if you are sensitive to temperature, ensure that the water is lukewarm and not too hot. 

Quit Smoking

Smoking affects your circulatory system due to the narrowing of your blood vessels. If you are already suffering from neuropathy, your symptoms may worsen due to the limited supply of oxygenated blood supply to different parts of the body. We hope this will provide you with enough motivation to stop smoking. 

Do Regular Exercises 

Exercises not only alleviate but also prevent neuropathy. Most peripheral neuropathy is due to the increased blood sugar levels that cause nerve damage. Exercise also increases blood circulation and thereby helps in reducing the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy like pain or discomfort.

Apply Essential Oils

Applying your extremities with essential oils like olive, lavender or chamomile helps in increasing circulation. These oils are also rich in their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties so they can help you in dealing with neuropathic symptoms. 

Dedicate Time for Meditation 

Doing meditation would help you in reducing stress, increasing pain tolerance and relieving pain. Using a psychological approach to deal with bodily issues may seem odd but it works like magic for your neuropathy. 

Do Acupuncture on Pressure Points 

Acupuncture is a way of natural healing that focuses on your body's pressure points. It may not reverse peripheral neuropathy but it can surely ease your pain or tingling symptoms. 

Have Good Vitamin Intake 

Even though most of the neuropathy is related to diabetes, some are due to vitamin deficiencies. Vitamin B is mainly concerned with nervous health and being deficient in that vitamin would affect your nerves. Vitamin D helps in relieving the pain that eases the pain. So, taking supplements that support healthy nerves would alleviate the symptoms related to peripheral neuropathy. 

Apply Cayenne pepper Ointments 

The topical application of Cayenne pepper ointments can greatly help in reducing the pain and tingling sensations associated with neuropathy. Just make sure to discuss this with your doctor as some people are naturally more sensitive to capsaicin in these ointments. 

Preventive Measures for Peripheral Neuropathy 

Here are some of the effective preventive measures for peripheral neuropathy, 

• Include healthy meals like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein in your diet. 

• Do regular exercises as they can build muscle strength and help in controlling blood sugar levels. 

• Alcohol not only increases blood sugar levels but also worsens peripheral neuropathy. 

• Always monitor your blood sugar levels and check for any spike from normal levels. This can help you in the early detection of diabetes, thereby preventing peripheral neuropathy. 

• Take care of your feet especially if you have diabetes and check for any cuts, blisters or calluses regularly. 

When to See the Doctor? 

Even though there are several natural remedies for peripheral neuropathy, you shouldn't take it lightly. You should immediately talk to your doctor if you are experiencing severe symptoms like unusual tingling sensations, difficulties in processing sensory information or extreme muscle weaknesses. 

Take-Home Points 

• Peripheral neuropathy is the condition of damaged nerves (which mainly occurs due to diabetes) that can make it difficult for you to sense the external stimuli in the extremities. 

• The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend on the type of nerve damage namely the motor, sensory or autonomic nervous system. 

• A change in lifestyle and food habits is the best way to treat neuropathy. 

References 

• Treatments of Neuropathy 

• Diabetic Neuropathy

• Management of neuropathic pain