For a simple pictorial overview of the peripheral nervous system:
Peripheral neuropathy (PN) results from damage to peripheral nerves that connect the central nervous system (CNS /Brain and Spinal cord) to the rest of the body for two-way communication. Peripheral nerves branch out of the spinal cord to all parts of the body, providing a communication link between the brain and the muscles, skin, internal organs, and blood vessels. Damage to this communication network can cause the equivalent of static on a phone line:
PN -Neuron
- Damage occurs to axons or myelin surrounding peripheral nerves. The axon is the “fiber-optic cable”of a neuron for transmitting messages from neuron body (soma) to make contact with other cells - usually neighboring neurons but sometimes muscle or gland cells.
- PN damage can affect any or all of the nerves in:
(1) Somatic Nervous System (Used for voluntary control)
• Sensory (afferent) nerves from body. Receive and transmit sensations from the parts of the body to the brain, E.g. heat, pain or touch.
Damaged sensory nerves may:
▪ Stop relaying signals. Resulting in numbness and pain (most often in hands and feet)
▪ Send incorrect signals. Transmittingsensations of pain, burning or tingling sensations (sometimes described as “pins and needles”)
• Motor (efferent) nerves to muscles. Send messages from the brain to the muscles to control movement.
Damaged motor nerves may:
▪ Impair movement and can lead to muscle weakness / wasting or even paralysis
(2) Autonomic Nervous System (Used for involuntary control)
• Sensory and motor nerves. Control involuntary functions. E.g. blood pressure, heart rate, digestion and bladder function;
Damaged autonomic nerves may:
▪ Impair any involuntary function - depending on location of damage.
- PN commonly starts in the longest nerves. i.e. those going to your toes;
- PN may affect one to several nerves:
• Mononeuropathy. 1 nerve;
• Multiple mononeuropathy. 2 or more nerves in different areas;
• Polyneuropathy. Many nerves.
- If known, PN is classified according to cause or location. For example:
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Nutritional neuropathy
• Radiculopathy. Neuropathy resulting from pressure on/injury to a spinal nerve root (Radix) affecting nerve function. Radicular pain and other symptoms (weakness, numbness, pins and needles, lack of muscle control) may manifest as “referred”pain/symptoms in an extremity. E.g. Impingement in the lower back can result in pain/symptoms in the foot. Radiculopathy may be experienced in such as herniated disk, spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal), sciatica and degenerative disk disease;
• Entrapment neuropathy. Occurs when inflammation of connective tissue puts pressure on a nerve passing through it;
• Idiopathic neuropathy. When a cause cannot be identified;
Chronic low-level inflammation (CLII) involved in almost all health problems
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General electrotherapy health benefits. Used systemically and/or locally at specific problem areas of the body, its effective application has many benefits:
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Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy |
Beck Protocol |
Rife therapy |
Ozone therapy |
Near Infrared (NIR) class 4 laser therapy |
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Balances neurotransmitters | Relieves pain | Treats depression |
Substance abuse withdrawal | Relieves insomnia | Relieve stress / anxiety |
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