The nervous system is divided into the central nervous system that comprises of the brain and the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system that is made up of nerves that serve the limbs, head and internal organs. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition in which the peripheral nerves are damaged thus leading to problems with the sensation of pain, touch, vibration, temperature, and muscle weakness.
Peripheral neuropathy can affect one or multiple nerves. Underlying conditions like diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy and therefore the doctors need a good medical history. There are many treatment forms for peripheral neuropathy including painkillers, steroids, Caldwell stem cell treatments, plasmapheresis, and physiotherapy.
What Are the Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy?
Numbness in the feet or hands that has a slow onset and eventually goes up to the legs and arms is a symptom of peripheral neuropathy. This numbness feels like your feet have socks and your hands are in gloves. The numbness may be associated with a pricking sensation. You may also experience pain that is sharp or burning in your extremities and it may also be painful to stand on your feet.
There may be muscle weakness due to damage to the nerves that supply these muscles. Paralysis may occur if the motor nerves that supply the muscles are damaged. Other symptoms include loss of balance, urine or stool incontinence, increased sweating and sensitivity to touch, inability to tolerate heat, and high blood pressure presenting with dizziness.
Lack of sensitivity to heat may put a person at an increased risk of burns. Failure to perceive painful stimuli can increase the risk of injuries to the peripheries. The injured areas may develop infections. Muscle weakness and lack of coordination can predispose to falls and injuries. It is advisable to wear shoes at all times to prevent injury, to test bathing water before taking a shower to avoid burns, to stay physically active, and to avoid slippery surfaces.
What Causes Peripheral Neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by a variety of conditions like diabetes which damages nerves in the extremities. Other infections like HIV and leprosy can also damage nerves. The body’s immune system can start attacking its tissues like nerves in autoimmune diseases such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Some people can also be genetically predisposed to getting neuropathies.
Cancer of nerves can cause neuropathy and so can cancers of the body’s immune system and bone cancers like myeloma. Chemotherapy also damages nerves causing neuropathy. People who drink a lot of alcohol can have vitamin deficiencies especially the B complex vitamins and this deficiency presents with peripheral neuropathy.
Other causes of peripheral neuropathy include hypothyroidism, damage by toxins like mercury, but sometimes the cause may be unknown.
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Treat Peripheral Neuropathy?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate to many cell types and can self-renew themselves. Stem cell therapy, especially using cutting edge MLS laser, helps to repair the injured nerves in peripheral neuropathy. The stem cells are acquired from embryos in the in-vitro fertilization centers and grown in the laboratory where they differentiate into nerve cells. These specialized cells are then implanted into the patient.
This procedure is minimally invasive and avoids the complications of surgery. The recovery time is therefore short and you can resume your normal activities within a short period with better nerve function.
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that is caused by damage to the nerves in the peripheries by diseases, toxins, or trauma and presents with numbness, pain, and loss of sensation of heat and touch. Stem cell therapy has proven to be effective in the management of the condition.
