The connection of the central nervous system

The damage that is caused to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, which causes weakness, numbness, and pain in hands and feet, can be termed as Peripheral neuropathy. It can also affect other areas of the body. The peripheral nervous system is responsible for transferring sensory information from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. 

Symptoms

The symptoms vary with the nerves affected. There are three types of nerves that are:

1. Sensory nerves that receive the sensations

2. Motor nerves that control the muscle movements

3. Autonomic nerves that control functions such as blood pressure, diabetes, and much more

Other signs could be as follows:

• Severe pain
• Weak muscles
• Feeling of numbness
• Tingling
• Lack of sensation in arms and legs
• Issues with coordination
• Less heat tolerance
• Extreme sweating
• Hard to sweat
• Fluctuating blood pressure

 Treatment

Usually, peripheral neuropathy can be due to certain traumatic injuries, infections, issues with metabolism, hereditary problems, exposure to toxins, and diabetes. The main goal of treatment is to manage the conditions that cause peripheral neuropathy and to soothe the symptoms. Medications can help treat peripheral neuropathy; however, in severe cases, doctors would recommend surgery and other procedures. Medications help treat neurotic pain, tingling, and numbness. It could also help the regrowth of the nerves.

• Painkillers or pain relievers - doctors, would suggest pain relievers for mild symptoms, and for more-severe conditions, doctors would prescribe painkillers. It would be nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Anti-seizure medications - certain medicines that can treat epilepsy can also treat nerve pain. Hence, it will be recommended by doctors. This could lead to drowsiness and dizziness.

• Antidepressants - doctors recommend antidepressants as it can treat pain by obstructing the chemical processes which happen in the brain and the spinal cord that would cause the pain.

• Topical treatments - doctors would recommend creams or ointments that could treat the symptoms through counter irritant mechanism. These creams can cause burning sensations, irritation, and numbness.

• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation - TENS is an electrical device that will be placed on the affected area. The electrode pads send low voltage current to the specific nerves on the body to block the conduction of symptoms

• Surgery - doctors may rarely recommend surgery for neuropathy that is caused due to pressure on nerves.

• Physical therapy - weakness caused in muscles can be treated with physical therapies. Hand or foot braces, a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair will be required while undergoing physical therapy. 

At Madurai Foot Care Centre, doctors can suggest and provide the best treatment for peripheral neuropathy.

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Blog Reviewed By: Dr.G.Saravanakumar

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Get blood sugar level under control

Diabetic neuropathy can occur due to high sugar levels, as it alters the metabolism of nerves in the body.it  can affect any nerves in the body but mainly affecting the nerves of the extremities.

High blood sugar levels can lead to shooting pain, burning sensation or altered sensation,numbness and parasthesia in the feet. 

Causes 

• Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the nerves and interfere with their ability to send signals to brain leading to diabetic neuropathy.

There are other reasons as well that lead to diabetic neuropathy as follows:

•  Alcohol can damage the nerves and smoking can damage the blood vessels.
• Rarely, Nerve inflammation is caused due to autoimmune responses as these immune systems attack the nerves assuming it as foreign or dangerous.  
• Genetic factors that are seldom related to diabetes can also cause nerve damage. 

Symptoms 

There are a few noticeable signs, such as:

• Numbness 
• Unusual shooting pain in the feet 
• Weakness 
• Tingling 
• Paraesthesia 
• Burning sensation 

The symptoms might get worse over time and can be noticed more at night.

Medical care  

Diabetic neuropathy can be treated as follows: 

Control blood sugar level - Mainly, the blood sugar levels need to be kept under control to prevent the nerve damage. At times, one might have to take insulin to control the blood sugar level. Proper diet and nutrition, exercise, and medications could also help control blood sugar levels. 

Pain relievers - Doctors would prescribe certain medications that could help relieve pain. Sometimes certain skin creams would also be given by doctors that could help control the pain. Only mild symptoms can be treated with these medications or creams. 

Antidepressants - These are usually used to treat depression, but antidepressants can help relieve the pain. 

Antiseizure drugs - Doctors would prescribe antiseizure drugs as it could help relieve pain. The drugs can control the nerves in the brain, legs, and arms that would transmit pain. But, these drugs could make the person feel tired and sleepy if they take a heavy dosage. 

Quit smoking - Smoking is never healthy, and the chances to develop blood circulation problems are more for smokers. 

Electrical nerve stimulation -  Electrodes are placed on the skin, which delivers electric current at varying frequencies.

Laser therapy - with the help of light from the laser, a stimulating amount of radiation is released, which helps to relieve pain.

Magnetic therapy - A medical practice that would use magnets to alleviate pain and related health concerns.  

Anodyne therapy using infrared light can be tried.

At Madurai Foot Care Center, doctors provide the best treatment for diabetic neuropathy at a reasonable cost.

Visit Us: footspecialistindia.com

Blog Reviewed By: Dr.G.Saravanakumar

Mail Us @ maduraifootcentre@gmail.com

Book an appointemnt: footspecialistindia.com/book-an-appointment.php

The Importance of Daily Foot Inspections

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Diabetes and feet have a complicated relationship. The disease creates problems for your feet’s health. This simply means that diabetic patients need to take extra care of their feet and diagnose issues at an early level before they turn into a major issue. In fact, every individual should go through self-examination of their feet to detect the occurrence of diseases like ulcers, warts, and infection on the feet.

Feet are vulnerable and are prone to injuries. Sometimes we don't even realize that there is an injury. We just end up ignoring it and thus soon it turns into a major infection. Especially people who are suffering from diabetic neuropathy often fail to recognize any foot injury and it turns into a major infection. That is the reason a basic self foot inspection is required every morning you wake up. 

How do I take care of my feet?

Maintaining good daily hygiene is paramount. Every alternative day I prefer soaking my legs in Luke warm water for a good fifteen minutes and then gently apply soap to clean them thoroughly. If you do cleaning every alternative day, you don't need to scrub your legs vigorously to get rid of dead and dry skin. After drying my legs completely I go for applying a thick layer of moisturizer to keep them moist and hydrated throughout the day. (Experts recommend not using coconut oil on feet).

The most important part- ALWAYS WEAR SOCKS to prevent the foot from any minor injury. Also, you need to wear well-fitting shoes that are comfortable for you. 

When should you consult a doctor?

Look carefully from the bottom to the top of your feet. If you have low eyesight or you are overweight and you can't bend to inspect your foot, ask a friend or a family member to help you out.

• Check for cracked or dry skin.
• Look for scratches, blisters, cuts or sores.
• Watch for corns, calluses or ingrown toenails.
• See whether you feel any warmth or tenderness when you pinch or touch an area.

Now if you see any of these above symptoms, consult a renowned foot specialist as soon as possible. Speaking about a renowned and experienced Diabetic Foot Specialist, Dr. G. Saravankumar has been treating foot-related problems for years. Till now he has healed thousands of patients with his high degree of professional ethics. 

To book an appointment, call at tel:+917395804082/ tel:04522589258

Book an appointemnt: footspecialistindia.com/book-an-appointment.php

Blog Reviewed By: Dr.G.Saravanakumar

Mail Us @ maduraifootcentre@gmail.com