The main problem with the treatments some doctors prescribe for peripheral neuropathy is that they never go after the root of the problem, but focus on the symptoms – in your case; numbness, tingling, burning and/or a feeling of weakness. And when these treatments wear off (which they do), you'll often find they only cover up your problem for a short time and do nothing to fix what's causing your neuropathy in the first place.
Treating only the symptoms of neuropathy for an extended periond of time, can result in a condition that has progressed too far, to the point other root cause treatments can no longer be of help.
Some doctors give their patients anti-seizure meds like Neurontin for their neuropathy. Anti-seizure meds like Neurontin, Klonopin, and Topamax were not meant to cure neuropathy! (I guess it doesn’t matter that Pfizer, the maker of Neurontin, was fined $430 million dollars in 2004 for recommending that Neurontin be used “off label,” or for purposes other than its intended use).
These drugs were developed for EPILEPSY, NOT NEUROPATHY! These meds work by using a chemical that tells your brain to SLOW DOWN. While this may be okay once in a while, using these medications can only make your condition worse in the long run in two ways:
1. Numbness, burning and tingling, as we all know, is your body's way to telling you there is something wrong. And because you feel numbness, burning and/or tingling, you stop doing things that can make your problem worse. For instance, if you sprained your ankle and didn't know it, then you'd keep walking on it until it fell off or something horrible happened.
If you are taking pills so you can get through a day of work, then you are probably making your problem worse because you've sabotaged your body's only means of keeping you healthy. Obviously, this form of treatment is not a permanent fix – no matter how many pills you take, you'll never get better!
2. These pills can cause dangerous side effects. You see, the chemical they disable does more than just slow down your brain. Depending on what pill you're taking, you can leave yourself open to liver failure, kidney damage, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
Trust me on this, these 'side effects' are 100 TIMES WORSE than the numbness, burning and/or tingling you're taking these pills for in the first place!
Wearing wrist or foot splints may seem harmless enough, but you're only supposed to wear them when you have numbness, burning and/or tingling. Using them as a crutch will only lead to the formation of scar tissue in your wrist or foot. And that will only make your condition worse!
So, if your doctor is treating you by covering up your numbness, burning and/or tingling...YOUR Doctor's Treatment Is Most Likely Making Your Problem Worse!
I’ve made it my life’s work to stay on the cutting edge of non-surgical procedures and specialized treatment technologies…dedicated to helping sufferers of numbness, tingling, burning and sharp pain caused by nerve related conditions. Patients that have been discouraged and frustrated by conventional medical care and left taking medications that do nothing but cover up the symptoms and don’t address the underlying cause of the condition.
If you would like to learn more visit my peripheral neuropathy page where I reveal some aspect of the five key elements that have to be addressed to defeat neuropathy. Go ahead - you will find it worth your while!