Do you feel numbness in your feet after sitting or standing for hours? Do you experience a strange feeling of "pins and needles" in your hands and arms after using the computer for too long or after going through a strenuous workout?
These things usually happen when too much pressure is exerted on the affected area, causing distress to the nerves. Once the muscles and nerves are relaxed, then the discomfort eventually goes away.
But what if you experience this type of discomfort on a regular basis? You may want to ask your doctor about it, because you might be suffering from nerve damage or neuropathy.
Neuropathy symptoms
Neuropathy or Nerve Damage, caused by the damage to the motor nerves, can manifest in many different ways:
- Numbness or pamamanhid
- Tingling sensation or tusok-tusok
- Weakening of the muscles or pangangalay
- Cramping (pamumulikat)
- Sharp, throbbing, or burning sensation
- Extreme sensitivity to touch
- Pain during activities that shouldn't cause pain, such as pain in your feet when putting weight on them or when they're under a blanket
When neuropathy affects the sensory nerves, this leads to loss of reflexes, loss of balance and coordination, as well as difficulty in walking. Neuropathy can also disrupt one's ability to recognize pain or feel changes in temperature.
Are you at risk?
Looking at the causes above, you can say that there are plenty of neuropathy risk factors. People who are diagnosed with diabetes, autoimmune disorders and some cancers are at high risk of developing nerve damage. There are other factors that can increase your risk, such as middle age, poor eating habits, repetitive stress, alcohol abuse and severe exposure to toxic substances.
It is best to consult a specialist if you feel or are experiencing signs of neuropathy, or just to find out if you are at risk.
Neuropathy causes
Nerve damage is a serious condition that can affect several bodily functions. Neuropathy sufferers sometimes experience difficulty performing basic motor skills, such as walking and moving their arms. One's senses can be affected as well.
Neuropathy pertains to damaged peripheral nerves, which (when healthy) sends sensory messages from the brain to the different parts of the body.
The causes of neuropathy can be quite diverse, and include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Physical injury
- Vascular and blood disorders
- Diabetes
- Alcoholism
- Trauma/pressure on the nerve
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis
- High amounts of toxins in the liver and kidney
- Hormonal imbalance
- Poor nutrition or vitamin deficiencies
- Certain cancers
- Radiation therapy and use of chemotherapy drugs
In some cases, neuropathy can happen without no apparent reason at all. In the medical world, this type of disorder is called idiopathic, pertaining to unknown causes. Idiopathic neuropathy typically affects those over 60 years old. The slow progression of the condition can disrupt the normal lifestyle of middle-aged and elderly people.
How to prevent neuropathy
Prevention is key to slowing or preventing the onset of neuropathy. Moderate your alcohol intake and quit smoking altogether. And give up a sedentary lifestyle, replacing it with consistent and moderate exercise. A healthy diet will also help stop neuropathy in its tracks.
To help build better resistance to neuropathy, you can take supplements rich in Vitamin B complex that promote nerve health.
You'll find your Vitamin B complex requirements can be delivered by Vitamin B-complex + Vitamin E (Neurogen-E) which contains 300mg Vitamin B1,100mg Vitamin B6, 1000mcg Vitamin B12, and 100IU Vitamin E to help relieve the symptoms of nerve damage and help keep the nervous system healthy. Each caplet contains 5X more Vitamin B12 and 3X more Vitamin B1, plus added Vitamin E versus major players among OTC brands! It is recommended to be taken once daily.
If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
ASC Reference No. U128P030520N
