Understanding and Treating Neuropathy

By James Palmer, DC

Neuropathy Institute

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Understanding and Treating Neuropathy

Neuropathy is damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of or trauma to the nerve or the side effects of systemic illness.

Treating neuropathy focuses on improving the condition with treatments that don't necessarily involve use of mediations to address the symptoms. Treatment modalities based on physical medicine can be very helpful and, there are considerably less side effects.

Success can be measured by how much the neuropathy symptoms reverse, and getting the symptoms to a tolerable level.

Experience suggests that diabetic neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy are nearly the same condition. The only difference has to do with the patient also suffering diabetes mellitus. Diabetic neuropathy behaves as peripheral neuropathy does, except of course, as it relates to glucose. It is associated with increased microcirculation issues so there should be, and is, an increased incidence of non-healing and ischemic ulcers with diabetic neuropathy.

We use a course of treatment we call the Palmer Protocol, which I developed after suffering peripheral neuropathy in both feet. Palmer Protocol treatments increase blood flow. The treatments utilize physical medicine techniques and involve physical forces applied to the affected body part. The forces induce a physiological response of increased blood flow and the patient notes a warm flush feeling with lessening neuropathy symptoms.

Relief is reported in three areas pain and discomfort, sensory deficits, and balance issues. The pain is usually first to improve followed by more normal sensations (less sensory deficits) with balance issues resolving last.

As sensory deficits improve, patients report less numbness and increased ability to feel hot and cold. Improved balance will often result in an improved gait, usually first noted by a spouse or friend before the patient realizes the change.

Relief comes in increments as the health of the affected body part improves. Treatments are intended to improve homeostasis (degree of health) with each visit. Treatments take 15-20 minutes and the patient usually receives three per week at first.

Improving the patient's health is our goal. Treatment of neuropathy has no guarantees, and some patients respond better than others.

We note that neuropathy usually does not respond well to drugs or surgery, but our experience is that most cases can experience some degree of symptom reversal. Patients regain hope and improvement accelerates once they realize they can, and are, getting better.