Nerves are wondrous things. They send countless messages, enable movement and sensation, and make essential functions possible, like breathing, sweating, and digesting. They can also cause significant pain and dysfunction when something goes wrong.
Experts use the term “peripheral neuropathy” to describe more than 100 diseases. They can have many causes, including diabetes, and they can affect one nerve or many.
For some, peripheral neuropathy symptoms become so severe they impact daily life but they don’t have to. Dr. Vladimir Fiks offers the latest treatment options at Advanced Pain Management Center in Portland, Oregon. If you have peripheral neuropathy, here’s how Dr. Fiks can help.
You have nerves all over the body, organized into two important parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
The central nervous system contains your spinal cord and brain: think of it like Mission Control. These nerves receive, interpret, and respond to messages from the rest of the body in the peripheral nervous system.
Unfortunately, nerves in the peripheral nervous system can also become damaged or diseased, upsetting this complex communication system. When this occurs, a wide range of symptoms can develop, depending on the affected nerves and the severity of the damage.
Common causes of peripheral neuropathy include:
In some cases, peripheral neuropathy can occur without an identifiable cause.
Once a nerve sustains damage, it interferes with its ability to send and receive messages.
It can impact a single nerve, a group of related nerves, or several nerves in different areas of your body. As a result, peripheral neuropathy symptoms can vary significantly from person to person.
Common signs of peripheral neuropathy include:
Peripheral neuropathy can even cause problems with autonomic functions, like sweating, blood pressure, and digestion.
Unfortunately, peripheral neuropathy is often irreversible. However, seeking treatment as early as possible can slow its progression and greatly improve your symptoms.
Dr. Fiks understands the discomfort that comes with peripheral neuropathy, and you can rely on him for the safest and most effective management solutions.
To start, Dr. Fiks works to identify the nerves to blame for your symptoms. This gives him the insight he needs to outline a personalized treatment strategy that offers the best results for your unique condition.
Common treatments for peripheral neuropathy often include:
Dr. Fiks also uses implantable devices, like spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation, to treat peripheral neuropathy and disrupt pain signals going to your brain. Spinal cord stimulation is best when your pain originates in your back or spinal cord, whereas peripheral nerve stimulation often targets pain in your extremities.
These innovative devices work by neuromodulation. More simply put, they don’t cure the nerve damage, they just change the message going to your brain. In some cases, surgery can also improve peripheral neuropathy symptoms by reducing pressure on the affected nerve.
As mentioned above, the most important thing is to contact an expert when you notice a problem developing. The sooner Dr. Fiks can start treating your condition, the faster you can reclaim your life and keep things from worsening.
Do you have peripheral neuropathy? Contact Advanced Pain Management Center by phone or online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Fiks in Portland, Oregon, today.
