Pain relief and other medicines can help, as can non-drug treatments such as exercise, acupuncture and relaxation techniques. Your doctor will also treat or manage any underlying conditions such as diabetes and vitamin B12 deficiency.
B Vitamins
Vitamins B-1, B-6, and B-12 have been found to be especially beneficial for treating neuropathy. Vitamin B-1, also known as thiamine, helps to reduce pain and inflammation and vitamin B-6 preserves the covering on nerve endings.
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.
In many cases, supplementing with vitamin B-12 can reduce the pain associated with neuropathy. More rarely, it can help repair the myelin sheath, depending on the cause of the neuropathy. However, B-12's ability to speed up tissue regeneration and improve nerve function can be helpful for some.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and foods rich in the vitamin may reduce the inflammation that leads to nerve damage. Vitamin E may also help with some symptoms of neuropathy, including burning and tingling.
Damage and regeneration naturally occur in the peripheral nervous system. The neurotropic B vitamins thiamine (B1), pyridoxine (B6), and cobalamin (B12) are key players, which maintain the neuronal viability in different ways. Firstly, they constantly protect nerves against damaging environmental influences.
Vitamin B12 and Pain
Vitamin B12 is thought to alleviate pain by a number of mechanisms including promoting myelination (nerve insulation), increasing nerve regeneration and decreasing nerve “mis-firing”.
If your nerve is bruised or traumatized but is not cut, it should recover over 6-12 weeks. A nerve that is cut will grow at 1mm per day, after about a 4 week period of 'rest' following your injury. Some people notice continued improvement over many months.
Some nerve-related problems do not interfere with daily life. Others get worse quickly and may lead to long-term, severe symptoms and problems. When a medical condition can be found and treated, your outlook may be excellent. But sometimes, nerve damage can be permanent, even if the cause is treated.
Broccoli, spinach and asparagus all contain vitamin B, a nutrient important for nerve regeneration and nerve function. Spinach, broccoli and kale also contain a micronutrient called alpha-lipoic acid that prevents nerve damage and improves nerve function.
Herbs that are in the “nervine” category can be very nourishing and soothing to the nerve tissue. Among the best are Chinese skullcap, lemon balm, wood betony, St. John's wort, chamomile, prickly ash and milky oats.
It's fast-acting, efficient, and leads to improvement in patient recovery within just a couple of sessions. The required doses of Vitamin B12 for neuropathy in adults are: 1000mcg daily over five days. 1000mcg weekly over five weeks.
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover.
Antioxidants to Relieve Nerve Stress
Antioxidant packed foods include blueberries, fish, beans, walnuts, green veggies, and beans.
Neurotropic B vitamins play crucial roles as coenzymes and beyond in the nervous system. Particularly vitamin B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (cobalamin) contribute essentially to the maintenance of a healthy nervous system.
Magnesium ion can promote peripheral nerve repair by inhibiting inflammation.
Magnesium decreases nerve pain. Clinical experience, as well as research in nerve pain conditions such as pancreatic cancer, has shown that magnesium can be an effective treatment for pain.
Nerve cells can regenerate and grow back at a rate of about an inch a month, but recovery is typically incomplete and slow. This is a complete nerve injury, where the nerve sheath and underlying neurons are severed.
Application of vitamin B complex or vitamin B12 has been shown to increase the number of Schwann cells and myelinated nerve fibers and the diameter of axons, and thereby promote the regeneration of myelinated nerve fibers and the proliferation of Schwann cells (Lopatina et al., 2011).