Metabolic treatment for neuropathy

Hope it works. Look forward to hearing more.

From everything I've been told, once a nerve has been damaged and no longer functions normally, that's it, it can't be "retrained" or "regrown" like you stated. Personally, I wouldn't think that a chiropractor would be the specialist that I'd be seeing for treatment for my neuropathy. Again, this is just my opinion, but paying a lot of money for something that isn't an option offered by your GP or your neurologist should raise some red flags shouldn't it?
The whole thing sounds more like science fiction to me.

It's true that for many years the medical/science community did not think nerves could regenerate, but new imaging tools and (finally) more research there are findings that have increased the body of knowledge for metabolic treatment to stop progression or repair damage to nerves. There are so many reasons for NP that treatment really depends on whether the cause is structural or metabolic. Chiropractors seem to have gotten involved when the root cause was structural because so many of their patients with physical damage have neuropathy. But the other causes are metabolic --diabetes or prediabetes being a major one but B12 deficiency, heavy metal contamination and a host of other reasons. They require some other approaches. It is true that nerve repair is slow but is possible in some cases. I think a key though is to stop the progression. If the cause is metabolic, it seems that a lot can be improved with lifestyle and diet changes.

If you want to learn about some of these relatively newer findings I suggest going to research sites like the National Inistitute of Health, John Hopkins University, the Mayo Clinic. I found a lot of research through NIH--if reading scientific studies is something you are comfortable with--you can see a lot of this info even goinig back to studies from the 1990s. Some of these major research groups and treatment clinics have synthesized information which is easier do read and consolidates studies or provides lists and links.

Like you, I'm also very wary of some 'treatments'--especially grandiose ones that make it seem easy (like a one pill 'cure-all'). That's why I'm taking time to do research on various sites. NP is complex and, from what I've read about treatments for metabolic NP like mine, I will need to up my lifestyle changes but there also are well-documented tools that might aid in stopping the progression and (I'm hopeful) potentially help heal some of the damage. Luckily, so far my damage isn't extreme but now is the time to work on it and I'm willing to look around and examine optiions.

I'll continue to post if I do try the Blueprint approach--or some part of it--and gain solid success . I'm also not afraid to say I tried something that didn't work and it's important to share that. So far? Gabapentin is only a mild treatment that goes system-wide so can create unwanted side effects. ALA supplements recommended by my neurologist actually has helped with reducing my symptoms and makes sense in my case. I also didn't realize till I just did the research that being 'pre-diabetic' as I am can mean it's a significant contributing cause to my NP. Thought I was safe because I wasn't officially diabetic. So lifestyle changes are next perhaps along with some of the other metabolic treatments that may, indeed, utilize the body's natural angiogenesis process to trigger blood vessel growth and feed my ailing neurons before they die. Who knows? Won't find out if I don't try.

I hope you don't give up because you think it's hopeless. It may not be. Resources for working with NP will come from different health arenas because there are so many reasons and conditions of NP. One doc can't do it all.

All of this sounds interesting. I will explore some of these with my care providers.

Hi,
As I understand it metabolic treatment is to do with treating the cause not the nerve that is already damaged and untreatable. Which is great in the first stages of NP to help slow it, but can't do a lot to help after the fact. I guess nothing ventured nothing gained.
Cheers

What I've gotten to understand in my brief encounters with metabolic treatment is that sometime the affected nerves are not getting the elements needed to function. Small blood vessels wrap around the axons of nerves to provide with nutrients. In some NP cases these blood vessels have atrophied or are not functioning so there are ways to stimulate their growth and even regrowth (angiogenesis) so the nerves get what they need. If a nerve is damaged beyond repair that won't help, but the findings are that some can be repaired before they die and others that could be endangered in the future can be strengthened so to speak and the progression of neuropathy can be slowed or (wouldn't it be great?) stopped.

There are other functions/elements that could be off such as the nerve myelination (glial/Schwann cells), mitochondria energy production that can be improved with treatment. Docs have een using supplementation of various nutrients for some time: ALA, B12, iron, acetyl-L-carnitine and others. But of course, for diseases like diabetes or pre-diabetes or others there are some lifestyle changes that also need to occur.

So what I'm hearing is that setting the body up for correct metabolics is key. Also electrical stimulation can aid in potential nerve repair when that's possible.

There are studies around this but for an easy intro, just google 'how can nerve repair for peripheral neuropathy be done metabolically.'

And, like you, I do remain hopeful. So far ALA has worked and made things better even after many years of having NP for me so perhaps there is more I can do. Good luck to you, too!

What if they've done every test that's available, only to have them all show nothing out of the ordinary, and you're given a diagnosis of idiopathic poly neuropathy?
In other words, the cause of my neuropathy can't be determined. It's only progressed and intensified over the past 10 years. I can't envision any kind of wonder treatment that's ever going to help me in any way.

I also joined Peripheral Neuropathy Foundation. They are also doing research and send a newsletter with lots of ideas for Neuropathic pain relief.

Sorry to hear your frustration. I was first diagnosed wtih idiopathic 10+ years ago. . . .so I know the helpless feelnig you talk about. Mine intensified too. At this poiint I don't know what to try except to keep explorinig.

Since I had a long struggle with B12 which tanked to near zero so that's the best guess as to cause. Shocked to discover pre-diabetes can initiate and continue NP so I will try to get rid of that as it is likely contributing.

I hope you get more inisight into somethiing helpful to you.

You all might be interested in this related discussion:
- Blueprint to Neuropathy? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/blueprint-to-nueropathy/