Regular Post

10 Feb

How to Treat the Pain from Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Pain… Discomfort… Numbness… Tingling…

If you live with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, you know these symptoms all too well. The continual discomfort you feel in your hands and feet can greatly affect your overall mood, your sleep, and even your quality of life.

Of course there are prescription medications which can help these symptoms, but most research states that these medications only ease the pain by about 30% to 50%. Not to mention they can be expensive, depending on your income and insurance options.

We want to help you learn how to better manage your neuropathy, get real relief now, and even prevent further damage to your nerves in the future. Let’s look at a few options for managing Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Keep Your Blood Sugar Under Control

If you don’t manage your diabetes and your blood glucose levels remain too high, you will begin to experience an increase in nerve damage over time. Since the nerve endings are also connected to your brain and spine, this nerve damage will then cause diabetic neuropathy.

Healthy blood sugar levels have been shown to slow the process and ease the pain of diabetic neuropathy. By keeping your blood sugar in the healthy range (a hemoglobin A1C reading of 7% or lower), you’ll greatly reduce your risk of nerve damage.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

So how can you keep your blood sugar in a good range? Be sure to consult your doctor. Your doctor will help you with a plan to get your levels down into the healthy place by utilizing behaviors like:

Eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. One that consists of a moderate amount of fish, poultry, nuts, and beans, with little red meat.
Maintaining a healthy body weight range.
Managing your stress level.
Exercising for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.
Taking your blood sugar medication as recommended.

Utilize Pain Scrambler Therapy

If you currently experience peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes, there are options for decreasing your pain! Calmare Therapy, also known as Scrambler Therapy, is a non-narcotic, non-invasive procedure for the treatment of chronic pain.

This therapy can reduce your pain and need for narcotic pain medication typically by about 80%, while in many cases patients experience complete pain relief.

Pain Scrambler Therapy has been proven as a successful treatment for patients with severe chronic neuropathic pain caused by underlying medical conditions such as diabetes.

How We can Help

At Carolina Pain Scrambler, we treat neuropathic pain and diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the Calmare Pain Scrambler device. This non-invasive technology transmits a “non-pain” signal though disposable electrodes on the surface of the skin. These electrodes deliver the “non-pain” signal to the surface nerve receptors and replace the pain impulse. This scrambles the chronic pain transmission signal so the nerve doesn’t transmit the pain signal but instead transmits the “non-pain” signal. Over time, the nerve forms a new “non-pain” signal pathway that becomes dominant.

If you have any questions about our services, we would be happy to answer them any time! Please give us a call at 864-520-5011.

Regular Post

21 Oct

What Is Pain Scrambler Therapy?

The unfortunate reality is that many of us have either experienced debilitating & chronic neuropathic pain or know someone who has. It’s not easy to live with and it can greatly affect your overall quality of life.

For those dealing with chronic pain, it can be hard to complete even the most simple day-to-day tasks or even find joy in playing with the grandchildren.

How do you deal with it? Traditional prescription pain management can often consist of replacing the pain with all kinds of potential side effects like diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, heart issues, nausea, rash, constipation, headache, insomnia. These are just a few of the milder side effects of prescription pills.

Instead of swapping pain for pain, there are alternative paths to neuropathic and oncologic pain relief to consider.

Alternatives to Prescription Pain Management

Since chronic pain varies, there are several treatment options available as alternatives to prescription pain management. It’s important to consider many factors when making this decision, including the cause of pain, location of the pain, and duration of the pain. They are much safer approaches to pain than prescription drugs that also have longer lasting effects overall. Well-known modern alternative treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, yoga, and aromatherapy, to name a few.

Acupuncture is known to relieve neck and lower back pain, osteoarthritis, and migraines. While
Chiropractic care can help relieve neck and back pain, headaches, and muscle pain.

These types of treatments and therapies have been proven successful in providing pain relief for certain types of pain, but what about chronic neuropathy?

For neuropathic pain relief, the best choice is Calmare Pain Scrambler Therapy, which is becoming much more well-known throughout the United States and Europe because of its amazing results in treating chronic neuropathic pain.

What Is Pain Scrambler Therapy?

The Calmare Scrambler Therapy device, commonly known as a Pain Scrambler, treats nerve pain as an alternative to prescription pain management. The device uses a biophysical approach rather than a more common biochemical approach, treating the root of the pain and providing rapid pain relief.

The Pain Scrambler creates and sends a no-pain signal through multiple surface electrodes placed on the skin. This signal becomes the dominant signal received by the brain, overriding the pain signal and providing extended relief of pain.

Patients experiencing chronic neck and back pain or pain from cancer and chemotherapy, as well as chronic conditions such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, sciatica, CRPS, and more have been successfully treated with Scrambler Therapy treatments.

Pain Scrambler Therapy is safe and highly effective. Over 80% of patients treated have had extremely reduced pain. Some patients are even permanently pain-free after just 10-12 sessions!

Is This Treatment Safe?

This type of therapy offers pain relief and control without the potentially dangerous side effects of prescription drugs. While the therapy is relatively new and cutting edge, The Calmare Therapy device has successfully treated over 7,000 patients and has become known for its success in treating neuropathic and oncologic pain.

In fact, Scrambler Therapy has been cleared by the FDA in the United States and Europe in 2009, and awareness of this highly effective treatment is growing rapidly. This has been found to be the safest and most effective treatment for neuropathic pain.

What Does The Treatment Plan Consist Of?

The best results of Calmare Scrambler Therapy are often achieved over multiple treatment sessions. While the Carolina Pain Scrambler Center can begin to deliver pain relief in just one treatment, the best results have shown from cumulative treatments over 10-12 sessions.

Each session lasts about 45 minutes, and the pain-free interval can last up to several months, depending on the severity and cause of initial pain.

In between sessions, if the severity of pain was fairly high, periodic booster treatments may be needed. This is especially true for anyone experiencing the recurrence of pain. Over time, after a series of treatments with Calmare Scrambler Therapy, patients typically experience a gradual decrease in overall pain.

Conclusion

If you are tired of living with pain day in and day out, or if you’re ready to say goodbye to ongoing use of prescription medication, and you are looking for a safe and effective way to rid yourself of your chronic nerve pain for good, we believe you would be a great candidate for our therapy.

Calmare Pain Scrambler Therapy has helped many patients be able to get back to truly living.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be living pain-free once again?

We would love to answer any questions you may have about The Pain Scrambler. Contact us today if you’re ready to improve your health and experience a pain-free life!

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11 Oct

Cervical Spinal Stenosis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Written by Joshua M. Ammerman, MD

Most people who have cervical spinal stenosis are adults in their 50s and 60s who may have had neck pain for several years.

What Causes Cervical Spinal Stenosis?

A common cause of cervical spinal stenosis is degeneration, or wear and tear affecting the anatomical structures in your neck due to aging. That’s why most people who have cervical spinal stenosis are adults in their 50s and 60s who may have had neck pain for several years. Injury or trauma may also cause or contribute to the development of spinal stenosis.

Whether degeneration is natural (ie, age-related) or helped along by the long-term effects of previous injury, smoking or poor posture—structural changes develop altering spinal function. The intervertebral disc is a good example. One or more discs may lose elasticity, resiliency to handle loads and forces created during everyday activities (eg, walking, lifting), disc shape may change, discs may become thin and flatten (loss of disc height), bulge or herniate. These changes can affect the amount of space between two vertebral bodies, potentially narrowing nerve passageways (neural foramen) leading to nerve compression.

Degeneration can also affect the spine’s facet joints, often caused by spondylosis, or spinal osteoarthritis. People with osteoarthritis may develop bone spurs, or osteophytes, which is your body’s attempt to stop or remedy joint dysfunction. Bone spurs can form around your discs, facet joints, and spinal nerves, causing spinal stenosis.

Symptoms of Cervical Spinal Stenosis

When spinal nerves are compressed or pinched in your neck, symptoms and severity varies—pain, weakness, tingling, and other neurological symptoms may travel into your shoulders, arms, and legs. Cervical radiculopathy is the medical term for nerve-related symptoms that travel from your neck into your arms.

Cervical radiculopathy can affect sensation and function in different areas of your upper body based on the nerve or nerve(s) that are compressed. For example, radiculopathy at the C6 (the sixth pair of nerve roots in your cervical spine) is associated with bicep weakness and reduced bicep reflex. On the other hand, C7 radiculopathy is associated with triceps weakness.

While spinal stenosis can impact select nerves or groups of nerves in your neck, more advanced cases involve a narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses your spinal cord. Spinal cord compression in your neck is called cervical myelopathy, and it can be a serious condition causing significant symptoms such as problems with balance and difficulty walking.

How Your Doctor Diagnoses Cervical Spinal Stenosis

After reviewing your medical history and symptoms, your doctor performs a physical and neurological examination. For diagnostic purposes, you may be asked to bend or twist your neck (Spurling’s maneuver) to replicate your symptoms. Your doctor will test your muscle strength, reflexes, and observe you walking to assess balance and gait. There are many different types of tests to evaluate function, sensation, and balance.

Plain x-rays are a first-line imaging test that can reveal structural changes, such as loss of disc height, bone spurs and spondylosis. Other imaging studies may be necessary, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to evaluate your spinal cord, nerves and other soft tissues. Imaging studies help your doctor to confirm spinal stenosis and pinpoint its cause.

Treatment Options for Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Most people with spinal stenosis do not need surgery. For many patients, nonsurgical treatments—and there are many options—effectively reduce and manage pain and symptoms. Your doctor may recommend one therapy or combine it with different types of treatment. There are various types of drugs and medications, passive and active physical therapies, and spinal injections—some patients find acupuncture is helpful.

Spine surgery may be considered if nonoperative treatments are ineffective and/or symptoms worsen, which may happen quickly or progressively over time. There are cases when surgery is the first treatment, such as acute disc herniation, fracture or severe neurological deficit develops (cervical myelopathy).

Surgical Treatment of Cervical Spinal Stenosis

The goal of surgery is to take pressure off the spinal cord and/or nerves—this is called decompression. There are different types of decompression procedures to treat spinal stenosis affecting the spinal canal (spinal cord; central spinal stenosis) and/or neural foramen (nerves; lateral spinal stenosis). Sometimes instrumentation and fusion are performed after spinal decompression to stabilize the cervical spine. Alternatively, certain patients may be candidates for motion preserving spinal implants, so-called cervical arthroplasty.

Typical surgical procedures performed to treat spinal stenosis affecting the neck include:

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
Laminectomy or laminotomy
Foraminotomy
Cervical arthroplasty (ie, artificial disc)

Advances in spine surgery have made it possible to perform some procedures using minimally invasive techniques and sometimes on an outpatient basis. Minimally invasive spine surgery has many benefits for you as a patient, including smaller incisions and faster recovery times. If you are a candidate for surgical treatment of your spinal stenosis, your doctor will discuss his recommendations and why with you.

Updated on: 07/26/19

Article Provided By: spineuniverse

Carolina Pain Scrambler Logo, Chronic Pain, Greenville, SC If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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9 Sep

Causes and Treatment of a Pinched Nerve In The Back

Carolina Pain Scrambler

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Causes and treatment of a pinched nerve in the back

An injury, a herniated disc, or an underlying medical condition can cause a pinched nerve in the back — resulting in pain, numbness, or tingling sensations.

The symptoms of a pinched nerve in the back sometimes also affect surrounding areas.

Below, we investigate what a pinched nerve in the back is, what it may feel like, and when to see a doctor. We also explore the causes and treatments, as well as exercises that may help.

What is a pinched nerve?

A doctor reviews an x-ray showing a pinched nerve in the back. — The severity and cause of a pinched nerve in the back will determine the best treatment option.

Nerves in the spine can be compressed by surrounding bone or tissue. If this happens, a person has a pinched nerve in their back.

Nerves are responsible for sending signals to the brain. When a nerve is compressed, the pressure disrupts the signals, resulting in symptoms.

Symptoms

A pinched nerve often causes pain, numbness, and tingling. The location of these symptoms depends on that of the compressed nerve.

If a pinched nerve is at the top of the spine, symptoms may affect the neck or arms. Doctors call this issue cervical radiculopathy.

Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the upper back can include:

pain that starts in the neck and may travel down the arm
tingling sensations in the hand, or specifically the fingers
weakness in the arm, shoulder, or hand
numbness

Nerves in the lower back can also become compressed. Doctors refer to this as lumbar radiculopathy. This condition often manifests as sciatica.

Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the lower back can include:

pain that radiates from the lower back to the legs or feet
numbness and tingling in the legs or feet
muscle spasms or weakness

If a person does not experience tingling or numbness, they may have a different type of back pain, such as muscle pain. This can occur due to wear and tear, sprains, or weakness.

Causes

An injury can damage tissues in the spine or cause them to become inflamed. In either case, it can put pressure on the nerves.

Other causes of a pinched nerve in the back can include:

A herniated disk: The disks between the vertebrae in the spine can become compressed and bulge, putting pressure on nearby nerves.
Spinal stenosis: This refers to a narrowing of the spinal column, which puts excess pressure on the nerves around the spinal cord.
Arthritis: This causes inflammation around joints and bones, which can increase pressure on nerves in the spine.
Bone spurs: A bone spur is an extra growth of bone, which can form on the spine and compress surrounding nerves, causing reoccurring episodes of pain.
Spondylolisthesis: This involves a vertebra in the lower spine dislodging and pinching nerves.
Infection: The vertebrae or disks of the spine can become infected, leading to inflammation and nerve pain.

Risk factors

Certain factors make developing back pain more likely. They include:

Aging: The disks between the vertebrae lose their ability to cushion with age, increasing a person’s risk of a pinched nerve. Spinal stenosis also becomes more likely with age.
Physical fitness: People who do little exercise or who have weaker abdominal muscles are more likely to develop back pain, possibly from an injury. The same is true for people who are generally inactive but then try intense physical exercise.
Overweight or obesity: Both place extra strain on the back, making back pain more likely.
Uneven posture: If the neck, shoulders, spinal column, or hips are out of alignment for prolonged periods, it can place pressure on nerves in the back.

Diagnosis

A doctor may be able to diagnose a pinched nerve with only a physical examination. They may also perform tests to check the person’s reflexes and muscle movement.

The doctor may ask the person to demonstrate their range of motion, such as by lifting a leg while keeping it straight. This can also indicate which movements trigger pain. All of this information can help with a diagnosis.

In some cases, the doctor may need further tests to determine the exact location and cause of a pinched nerve. Tests may include:

an X-ray, which can show structural problems, such as bone spurs
an MRI, which can show the condition of the spinal cord, disks, and nerves
a CT scan to examine the spinal structures
electromyography, which shows the electrical impulses of muscles

Treatment

The right treatment depends on the severity and cause of a pinched nerve.

Some people can treat a pinched nerve in the back at home, while others require professional treatment. Recovery may take days or weeks.

Plenty of rest and gentle movements can help the body repair. Avoiding strenuous exercise and heavy lifting is key to supporting recovery and preventing further damage.

Over-the-counter pain relief medication, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

If a person has pain in the top of the spine, a cervical collar may help. This is a soft, padded support structure that wraps around the neck, helping the neck muscles rest and relieving nerve pressure caused by neck movement.

When pressure on a nerve is severe or chronic, a doctor may suggest oral or injected steroids to reduce swelling and pain, particularly any that radiates to the lower body.

Some people require surgery to correct the cause of pressure and stabilize the spine.

People with numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain should contact a doctor before trying any exercises, as some can make pinched nerve symptoms worse.

Once the pain improves, certain exercises can support recovery, help restore movement, and prevent the issue from returning.

When looking for exercises to help with back pain, it is best to seek professional advice.

The following exercises may help. But — as always — if pain, numbness, or tingling worsen, stop the exercise right away.

To try an exercise for the neck and top of the spine:

Sit or stand upright, facing forward.
Place the fingers of one hand on your chin and gently push the head back, keeping the shoulders in place and the head facing forward.
A person should feel a stretch in the back of the neck and a contraction in the front of the neck.
Hold the position for 1–2 seconds, then gently release it.
Repeat 8–10 times, three to four times per day.
Continue for 2 weeks after the symptoms resolve to help prevent them from returning.

Lumbar rotation

To try an exercise for the lower back:

A woman does a lower back exercise, which may help a pinched nerve in the back.

Lie on the back, with the legs bent and the feet flat on the floor.
Gently rock the knees from side to side, allowing the back to rotate slightly.
Only move within a range that is pain-free.
Repeat this 10–15 times per session.

Back extensions

A woman completes a sciatica exercise, which may help a pinched nerve in the back.

To try an exercise for sciatica:

Lie flat facing downward.
Bend the elbows and rest the forearms flat on the floor.
Look straight down at the floor, keeping the neck straight.
Gently arch the back upward, keeping the hips and forearms pressed into the floor.
Keep the neck straight, without bending it back.
Hold the position for 5–10 seconds, remembering to breathe.
Gently lower the back to the floor.
Repeat the stretch 8–10 times per session.

Proper alignment of the head, neck, and spine is also important for reducing back pain; an uneven posture can put extra pressure on the nerves.

To put less strain on the neck and back, be sure to sit and stand with the shoulders back and the ears aligned with the shoulders.

When to see a doctor

Anyone with the following symptoms should seek immediate medical care.

sudden, severe, or continuous numbness, weakness, or paralysis in an arm or leg
loss of control of bladder or bowel function
loss of sensation in the genital or anal area
severe pain or weakness in the legs, making it difficult to walk or rise from sitting

These symptoms may indicate compression of the spinal cord, which is a medical emergency.

Also, see a doctor if back pain continues without improvement for a few weeks or symptoms are severe or getting worse.

Summary

Most people make a full recovery from a pinched nerve in the back.

Some find that symptoms resolve with home care. Getting plenty of rest, avoiding strenuous activity, and taking pain medication can help.

Certain gentle exercises may also help, but check with a doctor first, and stop any exercise that causes or worsens symptoms.

More severe or chronic pain may require steroid injections or surgery.

If a person experiences sudden paralysis, loss of bowel or bladder control, or severe weakness, they should receive emergency care.

Article Provided By: medicalnewstoday

Feature Photo by Gabe Pierce on Unsplash

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23 Aug

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is an opening in your wrist that is formed by the carpal bones on the bottom of the wrist and the transverse carpal ligament across the top of the wrist. The median nerve provides sensory and motor functions to the thumb and 3 middle fingers. If it gets compressed or irritated, you may have symptoms.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Carpal tunnel release is one of the most common hand conditions requiring surgery.
Symptoms may include tingling, pain, numbness or weakness in the thumb through ring fingers of the affected hand.
Women get carpal tunnel syndrome three times more often than men.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressive condition that can worsen without proper care.
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome often occur during pregnancy and can be alleviated with nonsurgical treatments. Symptoms often improve after delivery, but such patients are at higher risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome later in life.

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?

Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome have no specific cause, although any or all of the following may be a contributing factor:

Frequent, repetitive, small movements with the hands (such as with typing or using a keyboard)
Frequent, repetitive, grasping movements with the hands (such as with sports and certain physical activities)
Joint or bone disease (for example, arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis)
Hormonal or metabolic changes (for example, menopause, pregnancy, or thyroid imbalance)
Changes in blood sugar levels (may be seen with type 2 diabetes)
Other conditions or injuries of the wrist (for example, strain, sprain, dislocation, break, or swelling and inflammation)
Family history of carpal tunnel syndrome

What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

These are the most common symptoms:

Weakness when gripping objects with one or both hands
Pain or numbness in one or both hands
“Pins and needles” feeling in the fingers
Swollen feeling in the fingers
Burning or tingling in the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers
Pain or numbness that is worse at night, interrupting sleep

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may be similar to other medical conditions or problems. Always see your health care provider for a diagnosis.

How is carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed?

Your provider will check your medical history and give you a physical exam. He or she may recommend that you have electrodiagnostic tests on your nerves. These tests are the best way to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome. Electrodiagnostic tests stimulate the muscles and nerves in your hand to see how well they work.

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome

Your health care provider will figure out the best treatment for you based on:

Your age
Your overall health and medical history
How bad your wrist is right now
How well you tolerate specific medications, procedures, or therapies
How bad the disease is expected to get
Your opinion or preference

Treatment may include:

Splinting your hand. This helps keep your wrist from moving. It also eases the compression of the nerves inside the tunnel.
Anti-inflammatory medication. These may be oral or injected into the carpal tunnel space. These reduce the swelling.
Surgery. This eases compression on the nerves in the carpal tunnel.
Worksite changes. Changing position of your computer keyboard or making other ergonomic changes can help ease symptoms.
Exercise. Stretching and strengthening exercises can be helpful in people whose symptoms have gotten better. These exercises may be supervised by a physical or occupational therapist.

Article Provided By: hopkinsmedicine
Carolina Pain Scrambler Logo, Chronic Pain, Greenville, SC If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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18 Aug

Postherpetic Neuralgia

Carolina Pain Scrambler

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Postherpetic neuralgia

Postherpetic neuralgia (post-hur-PET-ik noo-RAL-juh) is the most common complication of shingles. The condition affects nerve fibers and skin, causing burning pain that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear.

The chickenpox (herpes zoster) virus causes shingles. The risk of postherpetic neuralgia increases with age, primarily affecting people older than 60. There’s no cure, but treatments can ease symptoms. For most people, postherpetic neuralgia improves over time.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia are generally limited to the area of your skin where the shingles outbreak first occurred — most commonly in a band around your trunk, usually on one side of your body.

Signs and symptoms might include:

Pain that lasts three months or longer after the shingles rash has healed. The associated pain has been described as burning, sharp and jabbing, or deep and aching.
Sensitivity to light touch. People with the condition often can’t bear even the touch of clothing on the affected skin (allodynia).
Itching and numbness. Less commonly, postherpetic neuralgia can produce an itchy feeling or numbness.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor at the first sign of shingles. Often the pain starts before you notice a rash. Your risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia is lessened if you begin taking antiviral medications within 72 hours of developing the shingles rash.

Causes

Once you’ve had chickenpox, the virus remains in your body for the rest of your life. As you age or if your immune system is suppressed, such as from medications or chemotherapy, the virus can reactivate, causing shingles.

Postherpetic neuralgia occurs if your nerve fibers are damaged during an outbreak of shingles. Damaged fibers can’t send messages from your skin to your brain as they normally do. Instead, the messages become confused and exaggerated, causing chronic, often excruciating pain that can last months — or even years.

Risk factors

When you have shingles, you might be at greater risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia as a result of:

Age. You’re older than 50.
Severity of shingles. You had a severe rash and severe pain.
Other illness. You have a chronic disease, such as diabetes.
Shingles location. You had shingles on your face or torso.
Your shingles antiviral treatment was delayed for more than 72 hours after your rash appeared.

Complications

Depending on how long postherpetic neuralgia lasts and how painful it is, people with the condition can develop other symptoms that are common with chronic pain such as:

Depression
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Lack of appetite
Difficulty concentrating

Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 50 and older get a Shingrix vaccine to prevent shingles, even if they’ve had shingles or the older vaccine Zostavax. Shingrix is given in two doses, two to six months apart.

The CDC says two doses of Shingrix is more than 90 percent effective in preventing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia. Shingrix is preferred over Zostavax. The effectiveness may be sustained for a longer period of time than Zostavax. Zostavax may still be used sometimes for healthy adults age 60 and older who aren’t allergic to Zostavax and who don’t take immune-suppressing medications.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Article Provided By: mayo clinic
Carolina Pain Scrambler Logo, Chronic Pain, Greenville, SC If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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10 Aug

The Lowdown on Living with Neuropathy

May 7 to 13 is National Neuropathy Awareness Week. The week highlights the national effort to educate the public on neuropathy’s causes, treatments, and prevention strategies. If you or someone you care for is living with neuropathy, the week presents an excellent opportunity to learn more about this condition and help others.

What Is Neuropathy?

Approximately 20 million Americans are living with peripheral neuropathy. While the term “neuropathy” simply means “nerve damage,” peripheral neuropathy is the impairment of the nerves in the body’s outer extremities — such as the hands and feet. While the explanation for an individual’s neuropathy is sometimes unknown, a wide range of factors can cause it. Here are some causes of this chronic neurological disease.

Trauma from injury and repetitive stress is the most common cause, and medical treatments, like certain types of chemotherapy and surgeries, can damage nerves.
Nearly 70 percent of people with diabetes live with some level of neuropathy.
Inflammation from autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can destroy nerve fibers.
The majority of people on dialysis for kidney disease develop neuropathy because excess toxic chemicals accumulate and damage nerves.
Infections, both bacterial and viral, are a major cause of neuropathy.
Heavy drinking can cause irreversible nerve damage.

Diagnosing Neuropathy

Symptoms of neuropathy depend on the type of nerve damaged. Associated with muscle weakness, motor nerve damage symptoms include decreased reflexes, twitching, and cramping. Sensory nerve damage leads to loss of sensation and is a leading cause of falls among older adults. It also causes difficult-to-treat neuropathic pain. Common symptoms of neuropathy include:

Tingling, burning, or numb sensations
Hypersensitive to touch
Stabbing or shooting pains
Muscle cramps and loss of muscle mass
Dizziness and balance issues
Weakness

To diagnose neuropathy, health care professionals begin with a physical and neurological exam, and gather your medical history. They may order any number of tests and screenings to expand their search or confirm suspicions. Tests might include skin and nerve biopsies and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Nerve conduction velocity tests — used to determine damage to large nerve fibers — and those that measure muscles’ electrical activity help pinpoint neuropathy’s physical effects.

Treating Neuropathy

The good news for those living with neuropathy is that it is sometimes reversible. Peripheral nerves do regenerate. Simply by addressing contributing causes such as underlying infections, exposure to toxins, or vitamin and hormonal deficiencies, neuropathy symptoms frequently resolve themselves.

In most cases, however, neuropathy is not curable, and the focus for treatment is managing symptoms. Assistive devices, pain management, and physical therapy make a tremendous difference for those living with neuropathy. Technologies — from specialized footwear to electrical nerve stimulation devices — offer hope for the future.

Preventing Neuropathy

Whether you have to quit smoking, control blood sugar levels, avoid alcohol, or implement aggressive self-care, you can likely manage symptoms and stall neuropathy’s progression. Some people even make changes to their routine to greatly reduce their risk of ever acquiring it. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding bad habits are major steps in that direction.

Help make National Neuropathy Awareness Week a success by becoming a part of the effort. Learn what you can and share your experiences. If you’re living with neuropathy or caring for someone who is, know that your voice matters.

Article Provided By: dignityhealth

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4 Aug

Neuropathy and COVID-19, What You Should Know

COVID-19 has been dominating the news and has been a constant worry for people with preexisting conditions. If you’re one of these people and are living with neuropathy, the best thing you can do is to arm yourself with the best information available.

At US Neuropathy Centers, our team of experienced doctors is dedicated not only to treating your neuropathy but helping you safely manage and navigate your way through the COVID-19 crisis.

Neuropathy basics

To understand COVID-19’s effect on neuropathy, you need to understand the condition itself. Here’s some information we put together on the basics of neuropathy.

Your body is made up of many complex systems including your central nervous system. The nervous system consists of your brain, your spine, and a network of nerves called peripheral nerves.

These nerves extend into the other areas of your body, controlling movement and carrying information between your brain and muscles.

Neuropathy, often known as peripheral neuropathy because it affects the peripheral nerves outside your spine and brain, refers to weakened or damaged nerves. There are many reasons you may be experiencing peripheral neuropathy.

For example, chemotherapy treatment, diseases like HIV and shingles, some autoimmune diseases, and exposure to certain toxins can result in loss of sensation. But the most common cause of neuropathy is diabetes.

The nerve damage leaves you with numbness or tingling in your affected extremities. You may even completely lose sensation and reflexes. Managing these symptoms and monitoring your condition is especially important in the middle of the pandemic.

Neuropathy and COVID-19

While there’s no direct link between neuropathy and COVID-19, there are certain circumstances that put you at risk for contracting the virus and experiencing worsened symptoms. Here are a few things you should know about living with neuropathy during this pandemic:

Be aware of your condition

Neuropathy typically indicates the presence of an underlying condition. Diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cancer, and other infections are all causes of neuropathy and all reasons to be extra vigilant with COVID-19 spreading.

Because your immune system is compromised, you’re at a much higher risk of contracting the virus. We recommend that you observe social distancing guidelines and possibly quarantine yourself to prevent the risk of infection.

Know the risk

Because your extremities have lost most or all of their sensation, you might not be aware that you’ve injured yourself and developed an infection.

For example, if you have diabetic neuropathy, it’s now even more important that you control your blood sugar and constantly monitor your feet for signs of ulcers and infections.

If you suffer from neuropathy caused by an autoimmune disease and need regular blood infusions, be aware that most blood donors have not been tested for COVID-19 antibodies. If you’re aware of the risks related to your neuropathy, you can adjust and protect yourself.

Contracting COVID-19

If you do become infected with the virus, you’re not likely to experience any new damage to your cells, but you may have flare-ups of your neuropathic symptoms.

The flu-like effects of COVID-19 may exacerbate the tingling and numbness you normally feel. While this may be uncomfortable, it’s no need to panic. Follow your doctor’s care orders closely until the infection runs its course.

Article Provided By: usneuropathycenters
Carolina Pain Scrambler Logo, Chronic Pain, Greenville, SC If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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26 Jul

How do I Exercise with Neuropathy?

Water aerobics is an exercise performed in a pool.

To exercise with neuropathy, or nerve damage, you should aim for a moderate workout schedule rather than overdoing it. It’s important to have regular exercise sessions though, because it may lessen the extent or intensity of neuropathy over time. In general, exercises that don’t put a lot of pressure on the skeleton, especially the feet, are good for people with neuropathy.

Exercising in the water puts little stress on the joints and bones, and may be recommended for those with neuropathy.

Running, jogging, hiking, walking and step aerobics may be too much when exercising with nerve damage. If you have moderate to severe neuropathy in the feet or legs, overdoing or even moderately doing these activities may cause foot ulcers or joint damage. If the feet or legs aren’t swollen, sore or have a “pins and needles” feeling, then a limited amount of these types of exercises may be able to be done.

Running, jogging, hiking, and walking may be too much when exercising with nerve damage.

Aqua aerobics in the shallow end of a swimming pool may be fine in moderation, as the water helps cushion the feet and joints. However, as there is still contact with the feet on the pool floor, deep water aerobics can offer even more cushioning exercises. Swimming is often an excellent physical activity for those who exercise with neuropathy. Since it involves whole body movement, swimming can provide overall toning as well as cardiovascular benefits when done at a brisk pace.

While regular exercise is especially important for diabetics with neuropathy, as it can help lower blood sugar, proper fitting shoes and checks of the feet after workouts is important. Yoga can be an extremely beneficial exercise with neuropathy, as it’s gentle on the body, but if it’s done in bare feet, diabetics must be sure to take caution in not getting any scrapes or even a tiny pebble on either foot. Something as minor as a scratch on the foot may go unnoticed by those with neuropathy, as their feet are typically numb. If untreated, a foot infection may become so severe that amputation is necessary.

Individuals suffering from neuropathy may not notice scratches on their feet.

If you begin the type of exercise that best suits your degree of neuropathy, you should aim for about 30 minutes three to five times a week, depending on your fitness level and physician’s recommendations. In addition to water exercises, cycling may be another activity that you find you can do with neuropathy. It’s important to begin any type of exercise with neuropathy slowly and build up your time spent on it gradually.

Article Provided By: thehealthboard

Olympic Photo by Alex Smith on Unsplash

If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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20 Jul

Responding to Weather Changes When Caring for Neuropathy Patients

by Ezekiel Lim | September 11, 2019

Patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy may find that changes in seasons increase discomfort. Colder temperatures require layers of clothing that may bother someone with peripheral neuropathy symptoms. A change to hotter temperatures may cause increased discomfort to someone already experiencing burning sensations due to nerve damage.

Caregivers can take steps to help manage the impact of weather changes on neuropathy patients.

Cold weather and neuropathy

Patients with peripheral neuropathy symptoms experience a slowing of blood flow to nerve endings, causing numbness and tingling. Colder temperatures may make it difficult for patients to measure their bodies’ response to the climate.

My family lives in an area known for weather extremes. When spending time with my mother-in-law during the winter months, it is important for us not only to make sure she has adequate layers of clothing, but also to know when the bundled clothing is causing her discomfort.

Following are some tips for caregivers who are managing the daily care of a loved one during a change to colder weather:

Make sure the patient is wearing warm, comfortable clothing that isn’t too heavy.
Protect the patient’s hands and feet with warm gloves and neuropathy socks.
Massage areas where circulation may be lacking.
Limit the time spent outside in the cold.
Limit caffeine and alcohol intake as they may respectively narrow blood cells and cause vitamin deficiency.

Managing symptoms in heat

Hotter temperatures may exacerbate the tingling and burning sensations that neuropathy patients experience. During a transition from cold winters to mild or hot months, caregivers must gauge their loved one’s peripheral symptoms. Just as in winter months, patients may have difficulty measuring their bodily responses to temperature.

For caregivers managing responses to hotter temperatures, following are some tips for ensuring patient comfort:

Keep time spent outside to a minimum and, if needed, stay indoors all day.
Make sure air conditioning is adjusted to a comfortable level to avoid interacting with symptoms of numbness.
Make sure your loved one is adequately fed and hydrated.
Understand the patient’s comfort level and make sure they are wearing lighter layers of clothing.
Try using topical treatments and cooling products when the patient begins to feel too hot.

The pain caused by humidity and summer heat may cause increased discomfort in those suffering from peripheral neuropathy symptoms. By ensuring the patient has a comfortable indoor environment, the change in temperature will not exacerbate chronic pain.

Article Provided By: fapnewstoday
Carolina Pain Scrambler Logo, Chronic Pain, Greenville, SC If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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