Peripheral Neuropathy is common, with about 25% to 30% of Americans will be affected by it at some point in their lives. Older adults ages 60+ however, are at an increased risk. Most symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy may diminish or go away on its own, but in some cases the damage can be permanent.
Today we’re going to analyze the link between your heart and peripheral neuropathy.
Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral Neuropathy can develop when the nerves in your limbs, hands and feet become damaged. Symptoms can vary depending on the nerves being affected. Such as sensory nerves that carry messages from your five senses. Motor nerves which carry signals from your brain to your muscles in order to walk for example. The final group of nerves that can be affected by Peripheral Neuropathy are the Autonomic nerves. These are responsible for body functions that you don’t have direct control over like breathing, digestion, heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, and even bladder and bowel control.
When your Autonomic nerves begin to suffer from neuropathy it is called autonomic neuropathy. There are many diseases and conditions that can lead to autonomic neuropathy, as well as side effects of medicine.
Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is the least understood complication of Peripheral Neuropathy. Due to its potential of being fatal, it’s important to ask your primary care provider for a proper diagnosis.
Primary diseases that can cause autonomic neuropathy include:
- Parkinson’s Syndrome
- Shy-Drager Syndrome
- Riley-Day Syndrome
Other examples of causes of autonomic neuropathy can include:
- Amyloidosis
- Diabetes
- HIV
- Chemotherapy
- Trauma
- Alcoholism
- Drug abuse
Your Heart and Peripheral Neuropathy
We don’t need to go into detail about the functions of your heart or how important it is to your health and well being. But Peripheral Neuropathy can affect and damage different nerves. Some of the nerve damage can block or interfere with signals between the heart and blood vessels which can lead to serious symptoms like:
- Palpitations
- Hypertension
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Blurred Vision
- Lightheadedness
- Fainting
- Shortness of Breath
- Chest Pain
Because of the varied symptoms, oftentimes this form of neuropathy can be misdiagnosed, making it more difficult to treat and study.
Managing your Symptoms
With many conditions, learning to manage your symptoms is important in order to recover and heal. Peripheral neuropathy is no different.
Drinking a cup of water first thing in the morning, even before getting out of bed can help regulate blood pressure and may improve orthostatic intolerance, a condition involving symptoms associated when standing but improve when lying down.
Reduce the number of large meals that can lower your blood pressure during digestion. Instead have more frequent but smaller meals throughout the day.
Reduce consumption of sodas, energy drinks, coffee or other heavily caffeinated drinks as they may increase production of urine and reduce blood volume.
Exercise is a great way to increase blood volume and physical function. You can exercise wherever you feel comfortable whether it be a gym, at home or a local park. Ideal exercises include swimming, yoga, Tai Chi or other low impact exercises that won’t cause orthostatic stress.
Along with leading a proactive lifestyle to help with your condition, you should also avoid the following:
- Alcohol
- Extremely Hot Environments
- Smoking
- Standing Quickly from a Lying Position
Don’t forget to take the appropriate steps to prevent, control and recover from Peripheral Neuropathy. At SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach CA we now offer regenerative cellular tissue therapy, which may be covered by Medicare. By administering HCTPs (Human Cellular Tissue Products) in affected areas, the body may be able to repair nerve damage.
Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine
Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health.
Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.
We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health
