Peripheral neuropathy results from damage to the small nerve fibres at the ends of our limbs (our feet and our hands). The symptoms are most often felt in the feet. Neuropathies can be painless (when they affect the sensorimotor nerve fibres, the nerves going to the skin to help us to feel things and the muscles that allow us to move) or painful (when they affect the autonomic fibres that feed back pain to our spinal cord). Although there are many aspects to the cause of this nerve damage the major reason is poor circulation to the small capillary vessel and a resultant build up of chemicals which destroy the myelin coating around the nerve fibres.

Why would you get it?
Although there are many causes of peripheral neuropathy the main causes in he UK are diabetes, alcohol misuse and vitamin deficiency (particularly Vitamin B12).

Standard Treatment
Unless we are able to find an obvious cause such as underactive thyroid gland or Vitamin B12 deficiency, standard medical treatment normally involves using anti-epileptic or anti-depressant drugs to mask the symptoms of the neuropathy by attempting to block the information passed down the nerve fibres. Although this can help a little, often it is insufficient and can be accompanied by many side effects (most commonly drowsiness).

Treatment at The Essential Health Clinic
At The Essential Health Clinic, we can often help people when conventional treatment has failed and normally with no side effects. Our treatment will involve a consultation with one of the highly trained medical doctors at the clinic. We will listen to a description of your current diet and nutritional status, assess your medical condition, check your blood for any deficiencies, as well as a detailed assessment of your diabetes (if this is the cause of the neuropathy). Optimising your nutritional health can often improve peripheral circulation.
In addition to this nutritional approach we are proud to be associated with Anodyne therapy (infra-red light treatment) which is used in 5000 treatment centres in the USA and has now been introduced to the UK through The Essential Health Clinic. This treatment, we are certain, will revolutionise the management of peripheral neuropathy.
It works by stimulating release of a chemical called nitric oxide from the cells in the capillary blood vessels. This chemical causes the blood vessels to open wider and hence increase blood flow to the peripheral nerves facilitating natural healing to the damaged nerve fibres. Detailed information on this treatment is available through the hyperlink site at www.anodynetherapyuk.com.