Neuropathy Pain Treatment

The Low Power Laser and Neuropathy, Something to Get Excited About?

There are many different types of neuropathy. Each has it's own pathology. Even though different types of neuropathy cause different damage to the nerves, they all share a common nerve defect that is responsible for the burning, numbness and other neuropathy symptoms. I'm going to give you a very short, quick lesson in neurology which is the study of the brain and nerves. When you think of how nerves work, they are very similar to wires. They carrying electrical signals. These electrical impulses are coded. Readers who are my age or older will remember Morse Code. Nerves carry their signals in much the same way this code was used to send messages. The coded messages travel from different parts of the body to the brain, where the brain decodes and interprets them. The most basic cause of neuropathy symptoms has to do with the inability of damaged nerves to carry correctly coded electrical signals from the feet to the brain. When normal communication is disrupted, the brain feels bad sensations like pain or burning instead of normal sensations.

In long standing neuropathy the brain "feels" these abnormal sensations even after the nerves in the feet are healed. Now we have to remember that in neuropathy, usually the cause of the nerve damage is on-going. This means that more and more nerves become damaged, more and more incorrectly coded signals reach the brain and the brain misinterprets these signals. So if you understand that the symptoms of neuropathy are related to miscommunication between the brain and the feet, you'll understand how we attempt to change it back to normal. What makes neuropathy so difficult to treat is the fact than nerves are much more easily damaged than they are healed. Most doctors, myself included were taught in school that nerves can't heal. This is why you really need to see a doctor who is experienced with the treatment of neuropathy. They also, because of their training, believe that neuropathy is always progressive and there are few, if any, real treatment options.

Thankfully more recent research shows that our old understanding of neuropathy, is out dated and simply wrong. We can, under the right circumstances, promote nerve healing. The communications between the feet and the brain can be improved by a number of alternative treatment approaches. For the neuropathy patient this means less pain, less numbness, less tingling and better function. Now please understand what I just presented to you is an incredibly complex concept, the pathology of neuropathy, in a greatly over simplified way. If you remember anything from this article, I want you to remember that any doctor that tells you there is nothing that can be done to help your neuropathy, isn't up on the latest scientific data.

There are ways to improve nerve function. Research on some of the techniques we use for our neuropathy patients suggests that many of them may even stimulate nerve re-growth and repair. But the most important thing I want you to remember is that while improving neuropathy is possible, it never is easy. Also remember that there is no one single treatment that improves neuropathy. The most effective neuropathy treatment programs require several different treatment techniques working together. So now let me tell you how we help hundreds of neuropathy patients using a neuropathy treatment program that we developed over the last 20 years. Let me show you a privileged glimpse of our comprehensive neuropathy treatment program.

Massage and Neck Pain Treatment

Massage therapy can provide relief for neck pain, especially in people with chronic tightness and soreness in their neck and shoulders. We find many people who carry their stress in their neck and shoulders. They begin to contract their neck muscles and tense their shoulders. Some people describe their shoulders moving towards their ears, which gets worse with stress or activity. Increased physical activity can make it worse such as taking care of the kids, lifting, reaching, or pulling. Driving or sitting for long hours at the computer can really aggravate neck and shoulder pain.

Increasing neck pain is very prevalent in people with "knots" in their muscles that never go away. These knots are areas of muscle that has become injured and "glued" together. The knots are actually scar tissue that prevent muscles from moving and sliding like it should. Over time the amount of scar tissue accumulates and the knots get bigger. Eventually, the knots become a weak point, and any amount of excessive activity aggravates these spots.

Muscle and Scar Tissue Pain

People tend to describe knots as the source of their pain. If they have a hard week or two of childcare, work, or house work those knots begin to get sore. With increased stress muscle pain begins to radiate from the knots to the head or shoulder. In some people the pain goes down their back.

The pain is decreased with icing and massage. Many people constantly ask their spouses to rub their shoulders. With a little rest and ice the pain decreases. However, the shoulder pain can quickly begin again with increased activity.

The shortened knots of muscle affect joints too. Because the affected muscle is functionally shorter and pulling on the joints, it increases the stress on the joints. Many people experience neck pain or headaches as a result of muscle knots. The shortened muscle changes normal movements and structural stress loads, which aggravates and injures joints. Many tension headaches or migraine headaches develop this way.

Massage Therapy Decreases Neck & Shoulder Pain

Massage therapy is effective at decreasing muscle spasms and decreasing the size of the knots. Therapeutic massage can help break up scar tissue and muscle adhesions. This is why massage is recommended treatment for muscle pain, neck pain, back pain, and low back pain.

A trained and experienced therapist will work on the neck and shoulder muscles. Often those knots begin affecting how the scapula (shoulder blade) moves. A really good therapist will work on improving scapular motion and all the muscles associated with its movement. This would include the pectoral muscles of the chest that attach to the front of the scapula.