Those who suffer from peripheral neuropathy may have a hard time with balance and weight bearing on their feet. If that's the case, stay away from walking and jogging and try working out on an exercise bike or in the pool. Make sure you use a full range of motion to increase circulation and feeling.
And what better way to get blood flow moving than with a good old fashioned walk. It's the perfect low-impact aerobic exercise for everyone. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. The more you exercise on a consistent basis, the better your chances are at reducing your nerve pain.
You'll probably even sleep better. Dr. Shields published a study wherein patients with peripheral neuropathy were given moderate exercise programs—stretching bands for the upper body, as well as 20 minutes of low-impact aerobic exercise (walking or biking) daily.
If you have nerve damage in your feet, avoid repetitive, weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging, prolonged walking, and step aerobics. Repeated stress on feet that are affected by neuropathy can lead to ulcers, fractures, and joint problems. Choose exercises that do not put stress on your feet, such as: Swimming.
If your lower limbs have been weakened by neuropathy, those demands may be too severe to perform safely. But there are many alternative cardio exercises that pose much less risk your feet. They include: Walking.
Smoking constricts the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the peripheral nerves and can worsen neuropathic symptoms. Exercise can deliver more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to far-off nerve endings, improve muscle strength, and limit muscle atrophy.
Avoid factors that may cause nerve damage, including repetitive motions, cramped positions that put pressure on nerves, exposure to toxic chemicals, smoking and overindulging in alcohol.
Over time, those fibers may undergo degeneration and die, which means the neuropathy is worse because of the loss of more nerve fibers. This may cause increased numbness, but it usually causes the pain to get better. In this scenario, less pain means greater degeneration.
Muscle weakness and paralysis. Nerve deterioration from peripheral neuropathy weakens the connected muscles. That can cause paralysis, which may cause difficulty moving the toes, foot drop and hand weakness. Weakness can also affect muscles in the thighs, arms and elsewhere.
Peripheral neuropathy is rarely fatal but may cause serious complications if left untreated. These complications may affect a person's life expectancy. A healthcare professional can advise on their condition, their outlook, and how they can manage it.
PN was strongly associated with earlier mortality. Mean survival time for those with PN was 10.8 years, compared with 13.9 years for subjects without PN. PN was also indirectly associated through impaired balance.
Wearing specially designed shoes may help people walk more evenly and prevent further damage to the feet due to neuropathy.
Here are a few of the best for neuropathy: Swimming: This is a great exercise that puts little to no impact on the joints and feet. It also will get you in pretty amazing shape. Walking: This doesn't mean a slow stroll but a more brisk walk to get that heart rate up.
What can slow neuropathy's progression—at least for many patients—is correction of the underlying cause. If the patient's neuropathy is caused primarily by diabetes or prediabetes, strict control of blood glucose levels through diet, exercise and medication can do the trick.
"Abbott's Proclaim XR spinal cord stimulation system provides patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy the opportunity to obtain a better quality of life while more seamlessly fitting into their current lifestyles."
The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of tart cherry, which have been seen in the treatment of arthritides, appear to be applicable to neuropathic pain as well, providing relief that is at least as good as conventional treatments, with no adverse effects.
Nerves recover slowly, and maximal recovery may take many months or several years. You'll need regular checkups to make sure your recovery stays on track. If your injury is caused by a medical condition, your doctor will treat the underlying condition.
One of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy in the U.S. is diabetes. The most common type of peripheral neuropathy is diabetic neuropathy, caused by a high sugar level and resulting in nerve fiber damage in your legs and feet.
Water should be a staple in any diet, and even more so for those looking to reduce nerve pain. It's critical to stay hydrated throughout the day to reduce inflammation and avoid triggering pain receptors. Aim to drink eight 8-oz. of water each day.
Vitamin B12
It's been shown that even high doses of vitamin B12 can potentially repair damaged nerves. Good sources of vitamin B12 are yogurt, fatty fish such as salmon, cod, and sardines.
He added, however, that "other studies have shown that correction of prediabetes by normalizing blood sugar levels through weight loss, diet, and exercise can halt progression of neuropathy, and this [study] reinforces that concept."