How Does Exercise Help With Peripheral Neuropathy
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What is Peripheral Neuropathy?
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Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that affects the nerves. It impacts the way the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) connects and communicates with the muscles, skin and internal organs. Most people who have peripheral neuropathy are affected mainly in the hands and feet. The condition is often a symptom of other diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, HIV or AIDS, Guillain-Barre syndrome and many others. While some forms of peripheral neuropathy can be cured, most forms cannot.
What Are Its Symptoms?
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Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend on what nerves are affected and where they are located. For instance, if the nerves to the skin are affected, then the patient may experience numbness and tingling, oversensitivity to touch, a burning or freezing sensation in the toes and fingers, an inability to feel or a decreased sensitivity to heat or cold. If the nerves to internal organs are affected, then the patient may experience constipation, loss of bladder control or sexual dysfunction. Nerve damage to the muscles may cause muscle weakness, cramping, spasms or an inability to maintain balance.
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Exercise as Treatment
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Treatment for peripheral neuropathy typically includes management of the condition causing the neuropathy and alleviation of discomfort or pain. Making proper exercise and physical therapy part of the treatment is beneficial for many neuropathy patients. Ideally, an exercise regimen to treat neuropathy involves the supervision of a physician or physical therapist to monitor how much and what type of exercise the patient performs. Some conditions are severe enough that unsupervised and strenuous exercise can do harm, since many people afflicted with this condition will have a loss of sensitivity, particularly to some forms of pain. Unregulated exercise may lead to injury without the person being aware of it.
Effects of the Condition and Why Exercise Is Important
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One of the possible effects of the condition is paralysis in the limbs. If the patient does not use his limbs regularly, the muscles will waste away. A person with peripheral neuropathy can often experience an increased risk of falls or other injuries due to a lack of muscle control and a decreased sensitivity to heat, cold and pain. Therefore, exercise is a critical component of many therapies, since it can build muscle strength while increasing circulation and coordination. Exercise may also reduce some forms of pain associated with the condition and improve the body's ability to control blood sugar levels.
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