SOHMA Integrative Medicine

We offer the best of Eastern & Western medicine without using drugs or surgery

Pain Management

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

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Asian senior woman massaging ankle and feet,old elderly had beriberi,cramp,numbness in her feet,sore toe joints,peripheral neuropathy disease,pain and swelling in the ankle bone,leg muscle weakness

In short, nerve damage.

But what causes Peripheral Neuropathy? How can you tell when you are suffering from it? How serious can this be? We’ll answer these questions as well as what kind of help is there if you are suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy and when you should consider seeing your primary care provider if you suspect you may be suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy.

Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral Neuropathy is a common condition that affects over 3 million people in the US every year. And with a varied source of causes, finding out what the underlying condition is important to your case of Peripheral Neuropathy. Some of the causes include:

  • Autoimmune diseases – such as Lupus, Arthritis and Vasculitis
  • Diabetes
  • Viral Infection
  • Tumors
  • Liver Disease
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Alcoholism 
  • Poor Dietary Choices
  • Medication
  • Injury or Trauma
  • Vitamin deficiencies

Understanding the root cause is half the battle. Managing what causes Peripheral Neuropathy can mitigate further damage to your nerves. In some cases a cause can not be identified which can make it harder for you or your doctor to identify whether or not you are suffering from this condition.

Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy

The list of symptoms is as diverse as its causes. Some people may be suffering from it and show now symptoms while others can manifest some of the most debilitating pain imaginable, some symptoms include:

  • Numbness
  • Poor Balance
  • Tingling fingers, toes and feet
  • Slow reflexes
  • Cramping
  • Feeling of Pins and Needles in Hands and Feet
  • Sensitivity to Pain
  • Pain

These symptoms unfortunately can occur commonly with everyday events, sitting awkwardly can cause numbness and pins and needles. Lack of sleep can cause you to have slow reflexes and poor balance while dehydration can cause cramping. Getting checked regularly can help you to identify the root cause of these symptoms. Which can ultimately save you from further damage if ignored.

Severity of Peripheral Neuropathy

As uncomfortable as suffering from peripheral Neuropathy can be, it’s rarely a life threatening condition. People suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy can have problems eating as their digestive tract can swell or go numb. If left unchecked for long periods of time symptoms can become worse and damage to the nerves can become permanent.

With early detection of the root cause of Peripheral Neuropathy treatment to the damaged nerves can be halted. With proper care damage to the nerves can be reversed, mobility can be regained and senses normalized.

When to See your Primary Care Provider

Many symptoms linked with Neuropathy are also commonly linked with other ailments. Because of this it is difficult to judge whether or not your symptoms will disappear on their own or if you should seek your primary care provider. However, my recommendation would be if at any point you begin to suffer some or any of the symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy on a regular basis, that may be the sign that there may be an underlying condition that you may not be aware of. This would be the appropriate time to ask your primary care provider if you are suffering from a form of Neuropathy.

Treatment

Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy depends on the amount of damage sustained by the nerves. In some cases a simple change in diet and more active lifestyle is all you need in order to begin recovery from Peripheral Neuropathy. More serious cases may require a little bit more help to heal the damaged nerves.

At SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach CA we now offer regenerative cellular tissue therapy, which may be covered by Medicare. Regenerative cellular tissue therapy can be helpful in reducing pain that is caused by Peripheral Neuropathy as well as assisting in the regeneration of damaged nerves.

Tai Chi is a great way to stay active while not stressing your body. Feel free to ask the helpful staff at SOHMA about our free Tai Chi classes. 

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 by calling us at 562-408-1140 or filling out the contact form 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.

3 Reasons To Consider Joint Injections

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There are millions of Americans suffering from joint related pains every day, whether it is caused by tendonitis, arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps you have a nagging knee, ankle or shoulder injury. If the pain you are suffering is becoming more frequent or more intense you may need to look into getting Joint Injections.

What are Joint Injections?

At SOHMA integrative medicine in Long Beach CA, we use Cellular Regenerative Therapy, as well as Platelet Rich Plasma. This unique approach to repairing the human body aims to regenerate and replace damaged tissue and restore your body’s health and natural functions.

What is Platelet Rich Plasma and Cellular Regenerative Therapy?

Blood is first drawn from the patient, following this the plasma is separated from the red blood cells.This process does not remove platelets leaving a concentrated platelet rich plasma behind to be injected back into the patient joints where the Platelet Rich Plasma can help in reducing pain, inflammation, improve joint function and in some cases halt or slow down the damage to the joint. Cellular Regenerative Therapy is also used as a treatment for repairing and regenerating damaged tissue. Also known as Human Cellular Tissue Products (HCTP), these injections support the body’s healing without the need for surgeries or the use of modern pharmaceuticals.In today’s article I’m going to give 3 reasons as to why you should consider joint injections to aid with your pain and recovery.

Aging

Growing old is normal, but with it comes natural wear and tear. Slowly our bodies begin to break down, we lose muscle mass, our tendons and ligaments become less flexible, loss of bone density, and cartilage within joints wears away. These changes can cause a number of problems for our bodies including arthritis which limits the range of motion of your joints as well as causing swelling, stiffness and pain especially in your hands and feet.

Joint Injections can be used to slow the wearing down done to the cartilage in your joints caused by aging. By reducing the swelling in the affected area Joint Injections can aid in regaining some mobility to your limbs. Depending on the severity, Joint Injections may not be able to reverse all the damage done to the soft tissue, though Platelet Rich Plasma Injections and Cellular Regenerative Therapy have been shown to aid in relieving pain. Do not ignore your symptoms, beginning treatment as soon as possible can help in mitigating long term effects.

Injury

Accidents and injuries can leave long term damage to your body, causing lingering discomfort and pain. Many times these can damage soft tissue. Chronic injuries which are injuries caused by overuse of a joint or muscle group can develop slowly and over time. If these are not treated in a timely manner they can result in pain, inflammation, and discomfort for years or in some cases permanently.

Due to the nature of some injuries, a full recovery may not be possible, especially if the injury is left untreated for an extended period of time. However, Joint Injections can be used to reduce swelling and pain giving you relief. 

For more serious injuries you may require more than just Joint Injections for your recovery. Feel free to ask the helpful staff at SOHMA about complementary treatments such as Chiropractic Care or Massage Therapy which combined with Joint Injections can be used as a more well rounded treatment.

Post Surgery Recovery

Sometimes after all alternative treatments are exhausted you may ultimately require surgery. Not only are surgeries expensive, recovery time from these procedures can be days, weeks or months. Many of us don’t have that kind of luxury.

Joint Injections have been used  to help patients heal from surgeries more swiftly. By increasing the level of Platelets or Human Cellular Tissue Products in the affected area, inflammation can be reduced and tissue can be regrown and repaired. This can greatly reduce the necessary time needed for recovery and shorter recovery periods means getting back to your normal life sooner.

The goal is to return you back to a pain free lifestyle the most natural way possible.

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.

Warning Signs of Neuropathy

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What is neuropathy?

In short neuropathy is nerve damage that can be the result of many different conditions such as trauma, viral infection, and diabetes.

Neuropathy is a condition where you suffer from nerve damage, that although rarely fatal, can lead to a variety of life altering problems. Neuropathy is not any single health condition but rather it is used as an umbrella term to describe a range of health issues which involves damage done to your peripheral nerves which include the symptoms of those issues. 

While there is no cure for some of these conditions, you can take steps in preventing neuropathy or managing it through treatments, lifestyle changes and diet. 

The nervous system is divided in two different sections, the central nervous system, which controls automatic body functions like breathing and digestion. The second is the peripheral nervous system, which transmits messages from the central nervous system out to the rest of your body like your feet and hands. In this article we are going to focus on prevention by looking at some of the warning signs of this condition as well as when to see a doctor.

Somatic nervous system

The somatic nervous system is the voluntary nerves that you have conscious control over. Also known as the voluntary nervous system due to its association with the voluntary control of the body.

When your somatic nerves are damaged some early warning signs include:

  • Sharp, burning, or jabbing pain
  • Poor coordination and loss of balance
  • Muscle weakness
  • Intense sensitivity to heat and touch
  • Gradual feeling of numbness or tingling in your feet and hands

Central nervous system

The central nervous system is made up of the spinal cord and the brain. This system controls the functions of the body we tend to have little control over such as bodily functions, awareness, sensations, thoughts, and memory.

Since you have less control over the central nervous system it may be more difficult to realize you are suffering from a case of neuropathy. Some of the things to keep an eye out for include:

  • Persistent headaches
  • Loss of feeling or tingling
  • Loss of muscle strength
  • Erratic vision
  • Lack of coordination
  • Memory loss

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With early diagnosis many of the long term effects can be avoided and in some cases symptoms can be completely treated. This is why if you are suffering from any of these symptoms it is important to visit your primary care provider to get a diagnosis as early as possible.

When to See a Doctor

Although many of these symptoms are indicative of neuropathy it is still difficult to judge whether your symptoms will get better on their own or if you need to see your primary care provider. If at any point in time you begin to suffer any of these symptoms on a regular basis, it is a signal that there may be an underlying medical condition to be taken care of and this would be the appropriate time to ask your primary care provider about potentially suffering from a form of neuropathy.

If diagnosed with a type of neuropathy, at SOHMA we offer regenerative cellular tissue repair therapy, which may be covered by Medicare. Regenerative cellular tissue repair therapy is incredibly helpful in treating neuropathy by aiding in the healing and regeneration of the damaged nerves. This will help reduce pain as well as return sensation to your hands and feet.

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.

Joint Injections as a Treatment Option

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Knee Joint INjection

What Are Joint Injections?

Have you ever suffered from joint pain? Stiffness and irritation from repetitive motions? Been in an accident leaving you with lingering discomfort and pain, limiting articulation in your joints? You may want to consider Joint Injections. Platelet rich plasma and human cellular tissue products take a different path to relieving pain, regenerating tissue and repairing the body. 

Trigger point injections may be an option for treating muscle pains that contain trigger points or muscle knots. These muscle knots can sometimes be felt under the skin. These trigger points may irritate the nerves directly around the muscle and refer the pain to another part of the body.

Daily activities and aging can slowly degridate many of the soft tissues in the body such as tendons, ligaments and cartilage. At SOHMA Integrative Medicine in Long Beach we help you get the relief you need from chronic pain in your joints.

Human Cellular Tissue Products

Originating in the 19th century, scientists would experiment by injecting animal material in an attempt to treat and prevent illness. Although due to their limited knowledge of cells, those attempts did not produce beneficial results. In the modern era human cellular tissue products have gained interest by researchers as a new therapeutic, non surgical procedure for a variety of illnesses:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Psoriatic arthritis 
  • Gout
  • Tendonitis
  • Bursitis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Osteoarthritis

HCTP is an advanced treatment for some degenerative conditions. Often patients with carpal tunnel syndrome may also show signs of osteoarthritis of the thumb, fingers and wrist.

When patients come to our wellness center with carpal tunnel, we may recommend the use of HCTP injections as treatment. Results have shown to be a consistent and reliable treatment for degenerative conditions in your wrists and hands.

There are hundreds of types of arthritis, but all forms have similar symptoms. Decreased range of motion, stiffness, pain and swelling. Although some damage cannot be reversed, HCTP injections have been known to help relieve pain between a few weeks to a few months. It is very important that you do not ignore symptoms and a proper diagnosis in order to begin treatment as soon as possible.

Platelet Rich Plasma Injections

Platelet rich plasma injections have been used for a multitude of treatments from recovery and healing to cosmetic such as:

  • Tendonitis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Post surgical repair
  • Baldness

The platelet rich plasma is the patient’s own plasma separated from the red blood cells. Then injected into the patients affected areas.

By increasing the level of platelets in the injection site the body is signaled to release growth factors and platelets that help reduce swelling, aid in tissue repair and increase healing. Making PRP injections an option doctors have been using to help with post surgical repair allowing for shorter recovery periods.

Platelet rich plasma injections have been used to treat chronic tendon problems such as tennis elbow, achilles tendonitis, jumper’s knee, and swimmer’s shoulder. These forms of tendonitis cause pain in different joints affected by the soft tissue around it.

Trigger Point Injections

During the trigger point injection procedure a wellness specialist injects a small needle into the muscle knot or trigger point. The injection may include a local anesthetic or a corticosteroid, but they will contain nearly a 99% saline solution. 

With the injection, the trigger point is made inactive and pain is relieved. TPI is also used to alleviate pain from tension headaches and fibromyalgia. Sustained relief can be accomplished after a short course of treatment, normally done in no more than a few minutes.


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.