Neurological disorders cover a wide spectrum of health issues. They are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, and can impair the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve or neuromuscular function. These disorders include: epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, stroke, migraines, vertigo, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease to name a few.
A neurological disorder refers to a problem with the nervous system, which is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates the body’s activities. Nerve pain can arise from trauma, inflammation, stroke, disease, infection, nerve degeneration, exposure to toxic chemicals, and nutrient deficiencies.
Nerve pain is usually a sharp shooting pain or a constant burning sensation. Typically occurring in the same location with each episode, it can often be traced along the nerve pathway. Sometimes weakness or impaired function in the affected area occurs and the skin may be either overly sensitive or numb.
Some common neurological disorders acupuncture treats include:
- Peripheral Neuropathy – Chronic pain that occurs as a result of damage to the peripheral nervous system, which transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. The first stage of neuropathy is pain. You feel burning, tingling, sharp pains, or you feel like you’re walking on tacks or marbles. This pain eventually subsides and the numbness sets in to where you cannot feel your feet while walking or while driving.
- Trigeminal Neuralgia – A severe facial pain disorder, sometimes called Tic Douloureux, that affects the trigeminal nerve which is responsible for impulses of touch, pain, pressure and temperature sent to the brain from the face, jaw, and gums. The pain is often unilateral, stabbing, paroxysmal, and excruciating. This condition is often exacerbated by common every day tasks such as brushing your teeth, talking, or shaving.
- Post Herpetic Neuralgia & Shingles: Post herpetic neuralgia is the most common complication of Shingles. The condition affects nerve fibers and skin causing burning pain that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear. Shingles is a painful, blistering skin rash caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (herpes or HSV)
- Migraine Headaches – Migraine is more than head pain. It is a neurological disease that can be inherited from parent to child. Migraines disrupt the way the brain processes pain, light, sound and smell. This leads to discomfort from normal input such as sunlight or music, which can cause a migraine “attack” that can last hours to days.
- Bell’s Palsy– or idiopathic facial palsy is the most common disorder affecting facial nerves and results in weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. This paralysis causes distortion of the face and interferes with normal functions such as closing the eye and eating.
Many of our patients suffer nerve pain. They come to us in constant pain from neuropathy which prevents them from not only living their lives, but more importantly, prevents them from enjoying it. Depending on the severity of the nerve damage, we typically see tremendous progress within a few weeks of treatment. Acupuncture treatments build on themselves; therefore with a series of treatments we begin to see the changes and improvement.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been found effective as a conjunctive therapy for several neurological disorders and in treating pain and inflammation. While we specialize in acupuncture and it’s definitely part of our protocols in treating neuropathy, the real secret is in a more modern medical solution called ATP Resonance Biotherapy. This technology was developed by NASA to expedite healing and recovery. It’s like watering a plant. ATP Resonance Biotherapy stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the nerve and provide them proper nutrients to heal and repair.
If you or someone you know is suffering from a neurological disorder or nerve pain please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment @ (904) 448-0046!
Nutrition for neurological disorders
A healthy diet with keep the brain and body functioning properly, while reducing the risk of developing serious health events such as neurological disorders. Nutrients linked omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamin B12, amino acids and folate are all crucial when it comes to brain health. Being deficient in just one of those things can lead to memory loss, tremors, or other debilitating symptoms.
Try adding these common foods to your daily nutrition to help boost your brain power and overall health:
- Blueberries – Well known for their role in improving motor skills and overall learning capacity, blueberries are rich in antioxidants that are great for boosting your brain and helping to reverse the effects of aging on the brain. Most berries contain fisetin and flavenoid, which are great for improving your memory and allowing you to easily recall past events.
- Fish – Omega-3 rich wild salmon, tuna, and herring help brain function by providing more oxygen, allowing it to retain new information while remembering old information. It also coats neurons with good fat, allowing them to move easier through the brain. Eating one serving of fish a week can decrease your chances of getting Alzheimer’s.
- Leafy Green Vegetables – Vegetables such as cabbage, kale, spinach, collards, turnip greens and others are rich in vitamins, folate, and iron, all of which are essential for memory recall and increasing cognitive activity.
- Nuts/Seeds – Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, folate, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and zinc all of which allow you to think more clearly. Choose seeds and nuts rich in thiamine and magnesium, which are great for memory, cognitive function, and brain nourishment.
- Whole Grains – Rich in folate, thiamine, vitamin B6, and zinc, the nutrients found in whole grains increase blood flow to the brain, improving the quality and quantity of brain function and recall.
About The Author: Julee Miller
More posts by Julee Miller