Diabetic Neuropathy vs. Peripheral Neuropathy

Diabetic Neuropathy vs. Peripheral Neuropathy – what’s the difference?

Just yesterday in my clinic a patient asked me about diabetic neuropathy vs. peripheral neuropathy. He has chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and many of the people we have helped in our clinic came in with diabetic neuropathy. Naturally,  he is concerned if our treatment only helps those with diabetes, then there’s no sense in him investing in care that won’t help him.

Here’s the thing though, they are the same. There are all sorts of names, from peripheral neuropathy to polyneuropathy, but they are the same condition. Sick, dying small “c” fiber nerves. Usually starting in the toes and pads of the feet, and spreading upward, including the hands as well. The only difference in diabetic vs. Peripheral neuropathy is the cause of the damage.

How did YOU get neuropathy?

In the case of diabetics, it’s out of control blood sugar that is toxic to the small fiber nerves and the blood vessels that supply them. Over a period of years of poorly controlled blood sugar, this damage adds up, and you wind up starting down the path of neuropathy. The more out of control your blood sugar is, the worse the damage, the worse your symptoms. (Just like any other condition, some people are more susceptible, some are less)

Those who arrive in my clinic because of the use of statin (cholesterol) drugs have the same symptoms as diabetics and cancer survivors, but their neuropathy was caused by the drugs. Statin drugs have a long track record of causing memory loss, and nerve damage because cholesterol is a large component of nerve tissue.

Blood pressure drugs cause damage to the small fiber nerves by affecting blood flow to them, but again the symptoms are the same as one suffering from diabetic neuropathy. Numb, tingling, burning feet and sometimes hands too.

With smokers, it’s also the loss of blood flow and nutrition to those little nerve fibers.

Sometimes (about 25% of the time) we don’t even know the exact cause of the damage.

Great. I have neuropathy, so now what?

Neuropathy is horrible. It progressively steals your life from you. First, it’s an annoyance, then it robs you of the things you love (golfing, dancing, working, running, playing) It makes you old before your time. Standard treatment only covers the pain, while allowing diabetic neuropathy to continue to get worse.

Fortunately, there is plenty of research out there that shows you can fight it. You can roll back the damage. In our clinic, we have been following that research and helping hundreds of people over the past 5 years. We can help you.

First, grab a FREE copy of my 3 tips sheet to get you started in the right direction. Then you can learn to use the exact system, complete with step by step guidance from me. Looking for free help? Everything you need to know about stopping the damage and reversing the numbness, tingling, and burning is here on this blog, and on this youtube channel.