Both diseases involve the nerves.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with either vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or equilibrium.

The symptoms of MS are similar to symptoms of neuropathy, particularly peripheral neuropathy.

Symptoms include uncomfortable sensations such as pain and numbness.

But a major distinction in MS when compared with peripheral neuropathy is that the former impacts the spinal cord, optic nerve, and/or brain meaning the central nervous system, not the peripheral one.

In MS, the issue is that the central nervous system is damaged and unable to properly send signals to the peripheral nerves.

The problem is that neuropathy is often diverse.  There are more than 100 different types of peripheral neuropathy alone.

However, the various strains of peripheral neuropathy all involve some peripheral nervous system damage – meaning issues with the nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord, mainly in the extremities, hands, feet, or lower legs.

Numbness, pain, and other abnormal sensations are often experienced. Muscular weakness can also be a symptom.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program 

The post Can MS be confused with neuropathy? first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.

Let me describe how diabetes can affect your feet and what you can do to avoid further complications.

You must take care of your feet

Neuropathy refers to nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy patients suffer from high levels of blood sugar which can damage your nerves. Nerve damage in your feet can cause numbness or loss of sensation which can result in you having wounds, cuts or infections without you even realizing it. 

Diabetic neuropathy in some cases can lead to your foot muscles malfunctioning, which could lead to weight distribution or imbalance in your feet. You may also experience dry skin, corns, calluses, bunions or warts.

Some diabetic patients may also suffer from diabetic ulcers, which are deep sores in the skin that can become infected. 

But there are various strategies and lifestyle adjustments that you can take:

How to take care of your feet

Control your diabetes

Make sure you keep your blood sugar levels controlled. This can gave a major effect on the health of your feet. Change your diet. Opt for low carb high protein diet. Low glycemic load is a must.

Stop smoking now!

Smoking damages blood vessels throughout your body including those in the extremities or your feet, so stop or at least limit smoking to the best of your ability.

Look after your feet

Make sure you maintain a strict daily foot care routine by always walking with shoes on, by examining their condition every day, by keeping them dry and warm to increase blood flow and washing them with lukewarm water as gently as possible.

There are professionals which are expert in treating and caring for diabetic feet so you can always schedule an appointment with such clinic near you.

Change footwear if necessary

You must wear the right shoes and socks if you suffer from diabetic neuroapthy. Shoes that protect your feet from injury are a must. There are special socks made for diabetics with extra cushioning that you should look out for.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program 

The post What is the best way to treat neuropathy of the feet? first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.

This very complex network operates optimally most of the time but an injury or certain diseases, infection or inflammation can all disrupt this delicate nervous system and trigger immense pain.

Nerve entrapment (also called nerve compression syndrome) happens when the surrounding tissue compresses your nerve. It typically affects specific nerves in a single area of your body such as your torso, limbs, or the extremities.

These nerves, which extend from the spinal cord and brain are known as peripheral nerves.

Nerve entrapment can also cause numbness, tingling, reduced function, and muscle weakness in the area where the nerve was damaged.

Several conditions can cause nerve entrapment including repetitive injuries and chronic and inflammatory medical issues like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and thyroid related disorders.

These health problems may lead to reduced blood flow to the nerves, swelling in tissues and damage to nerves insulation called myelin. This nerve malfunctions and triggers pain.

Mostly females but also adults over 30 are more likely to suffer from this condition.

People who suffer from blood circulation health issues are at an increased risk.

There are 2 very common types of nerve entrapment:

Carpal tunnel syndrome

It affects about 3-6% of adults. This occurs when your median nerve(The one extending from the upper arm to the thumb) becomes compressed and irritated at the wrist).

Tarsal tunnel syndrome:

This occurs due to compression on your posterior tibial nerve. This nerve branches off the sciatic nerve in your lower back and down to your ankle.

How is nerve entrapment treated?

Nerve stimulation

By delivering mild electrical pulses into the nerves in order to block pain signals. Another method is inserting a small wire lead near the affected nerve attached to an external pulse transmitter. Using a remote you basically control the electrical pulses.

MLS therapy

This treatment uses high and low light wave lengths to promote healing. The laser energy can reduces inflammation and pain without causing damage to your skin.

Physical therapy

This therapy focuses on strength and flexibility and may also lower the pressure on your nerves to avoid future health problems.

Surgery

Unfortunately, when nerve entrapment is too severe or advanced, surgery may be required

Using a thin, flexible tube  the affected nerve is located and is decompressed.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program

The post How do you treat nerve entrapment? first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.

It is quite common in people who have type 1 and type 2 diabetes and having this disease increases a person’s chances of developing ulcers on the feet as well as on the lower legs.

These non-healing types of ulcers may even lead to lower limb amputation…

Diabetes can lead to a type of neuropathy which is called diabetic neuropathy.

The symptoms of diabetic neuropathy range from pain and numbness to a reduced capability of the nerves to transmit the messages through them.

When the underlying cause is addressed, it is usually a preventive strategy, especially in the case of diabetic neuropathy.

For instance, controlling high blood sugar levels can minimize and prevent the damage to nerves.

When you have a metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance might play an important role in the development of peripheral neuropathy.

Abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high serum triglycerides, and low serum high-density lipoprotein can all lead to a metabolic syndrome.

Regardless of whether diabetes has led to nerve damage or not, it is still important to get a semblance of control over blood sugar levels.

This is important to prevent any further damage to the nerves, besides offering a lot of other health advantages.

Other than controlling blood sugar levels, those people who suffer from diabetes (any type) can prevent the onset of diabetic neuropathy in the following ways:

• By quitting smoking

• By reducing their consumption of alcohol

• By maintaining a healthy weight

• By exercising regularly

It can take up to 10 years for nerve damage to develop after being diagnosed with diabetes.

The longer you have diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugar levels the more you are at risk of developing neuropathy and nerve damage.

Approx 50% of people with diabetes suffer from some level of neuropathic nerve damage.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program 

The post How long does it take for diabetes to damage your nerves? first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.

Some people suffering with peripheral neuropathy often experience burning sensation and shooting pain in their legs and feet, and doing any type of workout, even brisk walking, seems to worsen their symptoms.

But maybe they aren’t doing it right…

Truth is that you should incorporate some form of workout into your daily routine but you will have to choose a workout that is right for you, so always take your specific condition into account when choosing the type and intensity of your exercise.

Weight training is an excellent way to build muscle and strength. It is a great way to increase your balance. Start slow, especially if you suffer from thinning bones or have not exercised in a while

For example, if your neuropathy is mostly focused in the extremities or has affected the sensation in your feet then opt for short distance brisk walks rather than long distance strenuous running or even jogging.

If you have open sores or some type of foot ulcers then stationary bicycle or swimming may be a a better option for you.

What’s important to understand is that you have to improve blood circulation throughout the body. The more blood circulates the more oxygen your nerve tissues receive.

Being immobile can not only shrink your muscles but also make you lose flexibility and decrease your body’s metabolism which is so important especially when you suffer from type 2 diabetes and high blood glucose levels.

So make sure you schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss which exercise workout is right for you. Remember that low-impact exercise is always better than complete inactivity.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program

The post Is walking good for neuropathy and can it have any benefit? first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.

Set the goal of “getting rid of my Neuropathy,” or becoming “Neuropathy free” and begin to think through how you will achieve that goal.

Imagine life without Neuropathy, allowing yourself to really “see” yourself without this affliction.

This mental imagery will continue to grow internally with practice, giving you the motivation and strength to continue on your journey towards Neuropathy freedom.

You see, the mind has two forms, the conscious (the thoughts we control) and the subconscious (the thoughts that are just there).

When the conscious mind continues to tell the subconscious mind something, the subconscious mind begins to accept the statement as truth (whether it is true or not).

This can be very helpful when trying to change your attitude – or can be detrimental when people constantly tell themselves the wrong message.

In its most basic form, that is how hypnosis works. The hypnotist consistently tells the subconscious mind something until it believes it.

For instance, those undergoing hypnosis to stop smoking will be given the same message over and over again: you do not need that cigarette or that cigarette makes you feel nauseous.

After awhile, the subconscious mind will accept the statement as truth and begin to react to it.

You can do the same thing without hypnosis. Simply repeat a statement like “My Neuropathy is gone,” 15 … 20 … or even 30 times day to yourself and eventually your subconscious mind will believe it, causing your internal system to “make it true.” And heal your nervous system and reverse your neuropathy.

Sometimes, this therapy works all on its own, but it generally needs to be incorporated into a full all-body treatment plan to allow complete healing.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program 

The post Can positive thinking affect peripheral neuropathy? first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.

When inflammation occurs in the body, it can compress nerves, causing pain. Lucky for you some foods help fight this reaction and can even reduce inflammation. So, what are they?

Here are the top dozen:

Blueberries: Full of anthocyanin, this small berry is king when it comes to reducing inflammation in the body. Eaten plain or juiced, it works either way.

Ginger: According to research, ginger helps to reduce inflammation by blocking certain enzymes and genes in the body that cause it.

Green Tea: Full of antioxidants, including EGCG, green tea helps calm inflammation.

Dark Chocolate: Microbes in the intestine actually ferment chocolate to turn into a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. But beware, it only works if the chocolate you are eating has 70% or more cacao.

Wild Salmon: Offering active forms of vital omega 3 fatty acids, wild salmon offers great anti-inflammatory protection.

Red Peppers: An anti-inflammatory super food, red peppers work the best to reduce free radicals in the body and fight inflammation.

Turmeric: Studies have shown curcumin directly inhibits the activation of inflammatory pathways through shutting off production of two proinflammatory enzymes, COX-2 and 5-LOX.

Beets: A unique source of betleine pigments, beets have shown to reduce the level of inflammation markers in the body.

Broccoli: This anti-inflammatory benefit could be linked to the sprouts’ glucosinolate content.

These compounds help prevent unwanted inflammation when they’re converted to I3C – a compound that research has found decreases the production of pro-inflammatory mediators on a genetic level.

Black Beans: High in anthocyanins and antioxidants, black beans have also been associated with lowering inflammation and stabilizing glucose levels after meals.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Rich in oleocanthal, extra virgin olive oil has a significant impact on inflammation and helps reduce joint cartilage damage, working similarly to ibuprofen in that it prevents the production of proinflammatory COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your neuropathy? Check out my Neuropathy Revolution program 

The post Foods That fight inflammation and neuropoathy first appeared on Mark Fellers' Neuropathy And Nerve Pain Blog.