Neuropathy is a disease that affects the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS controls body movements, sensations, and automatic functions such as sweating and blood pressure. If your nerves are damaged, various symptoms can appear depending on the type of nerve that is damaged. Neuropathy of the feet affects 2.4% of the population and 8% of people over the age of 55 have this disease. The main cause is diabetes, but neuropathy can be hereditary or caused by infection, trauma, and other diseases. Therefore, working with doctors to carry out treatment is a very important step.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Take regular walks
Try to go outside at least three times a week. Or, do an exercise that is comfortable and safe for you. Talk to your doctor about the right form of exercise. Exercise can improve blood flow and repair damaged nerves. Taking a walk can lower your overall blood sugar level and make it easier for you to control diabetes. If you can control your diabetes, your neuropathy will be reduced.
If you can't find time to exercise, you can do small things to stay active. For example, you can play with pets, clean the house, or wash the car. All these activities can make your blood flow smoothly
Step 2. Soak your feet
Pour warm water into a small container or tub and add 1/4 cup of Epsom salt for every one cup of water. Make sure the water temperature does not exceed 38 C. Place the feet in a container or tub until they are covered with water. The warmth of the water can soothe and distract you from the pain in your feet. In addition, Epsom salt contains magnesium which can relax muscles.
Before soaking your feet with Epsom salt, consult your doctor if you have an infection or swelling
Step 3. Reduce or avoid alcoholic beverages
Alcohol can be toxic to nerves, especially if they are already damaged. Limit yourself to only enjoying four drinks a week. Some types of neuropathy are caused by alcoholism (alcoholism), so avoid alcohol if you have neuropathy. By stopping drinking, you can relieve symptoms and prevent further nerve damage.
If alcohol addiction has run in the family, you should not drink it at all. Try to stop drinking alcohol completely to stay healthy and safe
Step 4. Take evening primrose oil
This natural oil comes from wildflowers which can be obtained in pill form. Talk to your doctor about the appropriate dose of evening primrose oil supplement for you. Research shows that the fatty acids present in this oil can relieve the symptoms of neuropathy. These fatty acids can also improve nerve function.
Other useful sources of fatty acids include black currant oil and borage oil
Step 5. Try acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting needles at certain pressure points. Stimulation given to pressure points or acupoints makes the body release endorphins, which can relieve pain. The acupuncturist will insert 5 to 10 needles into the acupoint, and leave them there for about 30 minutes. You will need 6 to 12 acupuncture sessions over three months.
Before doing the treatment, first check the reputation of the acupuncturist you want to use. Make sure the equipment and needles used are sterile so you don't catch blood-borne diseases
Step 6. Try alternative and complementary therapies
In addition to acupuncture, try meditation and low-intensity electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to relieve symptoms of neuropathy. This TENS procedure uses a series of tiny batteries to charge a probe (a surgical instrument with a blunt tip) that is placed around the painful area. The battery and probe create a circuit that is charged with an electric current to stimulate the area. Research shows that the TENS method is effective for treating pain in certain types of neuropathy, although this still requires further research.
From the meditation method, you can try sitting meditation, walking meditation, Taici, or Qigong. Research shows that regular meditation can reduce pain
Part 2 of 3: Using Medical Treatment
Step 1. Take the medication your doctor prescribes
There are various medications that can be used to treat neuropathy. The doctor will focus on treating the medical disorder that is causing the neuropathy so that it will reduce the symptoms and improve the function of the nerves in the feet. Some medications that your doctor may prescribe include:
- Amitriptyline: This drug, which was originally used as an antidepressant, has been shown to be effective in treating neuropathic pain. You should start with the lowest dose, which is 25 mg in a day. Gradually you can increase the dose to 150 mg per day. Always take this medicine before going to bed. Your doctor will not prescribe this drug if you have ever attempted suicide.
- Pregabalin: Usually this sedative is used to treat pain associated with peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes. You should start with the lowest dose, and can be increased as directed by your doctor. The maximum dose is 50 to 100 mg, taken three times a day. Over time, the maximum dose may increase to 600 mg daily, but doses exceeding this amount will not be effective.
- Duloxetine: This medication is usually used to treat pain associated with neuropathic pain caused by diabetes. The dose starts from 60 mg in the form of oral drugs. This dose can be doubled and the doctor will review the medication after two months. Although the dose can be doubled, doses greater than 60 mg a day are usually not effective and can cause other problems.
- Combination therapy: Your doctor may advise you to combine medications such as venlafaxine, TCA, or tramadol. This may give better results against neuropathy than the use of a single drug alone.
Step 2. Use the opiate as directed
Your doctor may prescribe an opiate that has long-lasting effects to treat your neuropathic pain. This is usually determined on an individual case basis, because it can cause side effects such as dependence (addiction), tolerance (over time, the drug becomes less effective even at the same dose), and headaches.
Your doctor may also prescribe immunosuppressive drugs (drugs used to suppress the body's natural immune system response) such as cyclophosphamide to treat a type of chronic neuropathy (dysimmune neuropathy) that may be resistant to other medications
Step 3. Talk to your doctor about surgery
Depending on the cause of your neuropathy, your doctor may recommend decompression surgery. This operation will remove the pressure from the trapped nerve, so that the nerve will function normally. Decompression surgery is often performed to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. However, certain types of hereditary neuropathy that cause problems in the feet and ankles can also benefit from decompression surgery.
Amyloidotic peripheral neuropathy can be treated by undergoing a liver transplant, as this type of neuropathy is caused by metabolic liver problems
Part 3 of 3: Improving Health
Step 1. Include lots of vitamins in your diet
If you don't have diabetes and don't have any other known systemic disease, then your neuropathy could be caused by a lack of vitamins E, B1, B6, and B12. However, consult your doctor before taking vitamin supplements. Your doctor must diagnose the cause of your neuropathy before suggesting which medications or supplements you should take.
So that you can get more vitamins from a healthy diet, eat lots of green vegetables, liver, and egg yolks
Step 2. Take control of your diabetes
Neuropathy usually develops years after you are diagnosed with diabetes. Good diabetes control can prevent or stop neuropathy. But once neuropathy appears, you won't be able to fully recover from it. The doctor will focus on managing diabetes and controlling the pain caused by neuropathy.
Controlling blood glucose levels is very important. Normal fasting blood glucose levels are 70 to 130 mg/dL and less than 180 mg/dL two hours after breakfast. You should also keep your blood pressure under control at all times
Step 3. Prevent injury and ulcer formation
You may feel a little numbness in your neuropathic foot. This can make you vulnerable to injuries such as cuts, scrapes, or punctures. Always wear socks or shoes when indoors or outdoors. Repeated injuries to the feet can easily lead to the formation of ulcers that are difficult to heal. Also ask your doctor to examine your feet during your regular visits.
- Wear loose-fitting footwear such as sandals without a back, but avoid shoes or flip-flops that provide little support. Tight shoes can interfere with the supply of adequate blood to the pressure points in the feet and cause ulcers to form in those areas.
- Trim your nails so they are not too long. This can prevent the nail from growing inwards. Be careful when cutting it. In order not to cause unwanted cuts, do not use a knife.
Step 4. Keep the ulcer that has formed clean
Wash the ulcer area using warm salt water. Take sterile gauze and pour a little salt on the gauze. Use this gauze to clean the dead tissue over the ulcer. Then dry the area and cover the ulcer with a sterile dressing. Change the pads once or twice a day, or more often if they get wet. If the ulcer has an unpleasant odor, go to the doctor immediately because a bad smell indicates an infection that can become a serious problem.
Tell your doctor right away that you have ulcers. If they are small, they can be easily treated with dressings and antibiotics. However, large ulcers can be difficult to heal. Even these ulcers can make a foot or toe amputated
Step 5. Control the pain
The severity of neuropathic pain varies widely. If you have mild to moderate pain, take an over-the-counter analgesic. You can take 400 mg ibuprofen or 300 mg aspirin two to three times a day.
Do not forget to take anti-peptic medication because analgesics (such as ibuprofen etc.) can irritate the stomach. For example, you can take ranitidine 150 mg twice a day before meals
Step 6. Get medical treatment to address the underlying cause
Neuropathy caused by kidney, liver or endocrine disease can be treated by treating the underlying disease. If you have nerve compression or problems in the local area, this can be treated with surgery or physiotherapy.
Always talk to your doctor about your neuropathy, and before you take any supplements
Tips
- This disease can be acute or chronic. You need immediate medical attention if you have acute neuropathy.
- You can relieve symptoms by drinking plenty of fluids or wearing high pressure socks (compression stockings).
