By Dr. Phil Harrington
Sharp, stabbing pains. Feeling like you are wearing a glove or a sock. Numbness in the hands or feet. Regularly dropping things, like your book or coffee cup. Tingling in your feet or hands. A weak, heavy feeling in your arms or legs. Muscle weakness, even in your facial muscles.
Do one or more of those describe you? Then you may have peripheral neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy is a general term for a series of disorders that result from damage to the body’s peripheral nervous system. What’s that, you ask?
The body’s nervous system has two parts: the central nervous system (CNS) which is your brain and the spinal cord; and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) which sends nerves from the CNS out to your arms, hands, legs, feet, joints and even your mouth, eyes, ears, nose, and skin.
Peripheral neuropathy occurs when nerves have a problem and can’t send messages from the brain and spinal cord out to your muscles, skin and other parts of your body. When problems occur, you may experience numbness, pain, and loss of function in these areas.
Problems with sensory nerves cause frequent pain, tingling and numbness, while motor nerve problems may cause difficulty walking or picking up items, and moving the arms. Autonomic nerve problems affect your involuntary functions, such as breathing, sweating, and blood pressure.
Mononeuropathy (affecting one nerve) is usually the result of trauma, injury, local compression, or inflammation. Examples include carpal tunnel syndrome and Bell’s palsy
However, most people suffer from polyneuropathy, with problems involving many nerves at the same time. The most common polyneuropathy is diabetic peripheral neuropathy, with residual limb pain and phantom limb sensation in this category.
Diabetes is the leading cause of neuropathy, with over 70% of diabetic patients developing symptoms such as those listed above.
Other causes include chemotherapy, traumatic injury, alcoholism, and exposure to toxins. When the cause cannot be determined, it is called ‘idiopathic neuropathy’.
Common medical solutions for peripheral neuropathies include over-the-counter pain medications (like Tylenol) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs); prescriptions of opioid pain medications, or various prescriptions such as Lyrica, Cymbalta or Neurontin.
But does it come as any surprise? None of those fix the problem, and they have several side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth, difficulty speaking, anxiety, depression, and more.
By now you must be asking yourself – is there another way? Can anyone help me without all the harmful side effects of those drugs?
The answer is yes, and the solution is called photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as laser therapy. PBM treatments with a Summus Medical Laser shine safe red and infrared laser light over your damaged nerves and help them recover and repair. Laser therapy treatments are non-invasive and safe, and there really are no side effects.
Sounds too good to be true? No, it isn’t and you can find doctors providing Summus Medical Laser treatments by visiting https://summuslaser.com.
Patients who have received the recommended course of laser therapy treatments report reduced numbness and tingling, improved muscle function, normal sensations in their hands and feet, and more. Summus Medical Laser treatments have helped patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy of many types, including Bell’s Palsy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, residual limb pain, and more.
As someone once said, ‘Modern medicine is not modern without laser therapy.’ Are you or a loved one suffering from peripheral neuropathy? Schedule Summus Medical Laser treatments today!
