Step Into Spring: Managing Neuropathy-Related Symptoms
As the weather warms up, many of our patients start to hear the call of outdoor activities like gardening or walking a nature trail. But if you’re living with peripheral neuropathy, you might worry you won’t get to join in on the fun.
Peripheral Neuropathy can cause a range of symptoms, including numbness, tingling, burning and pain. But it can also affect your balance and gait, making it more difficult for you to walk safely and enjoy the lovely spring weather.
Fortunately, the integrated team at REHABILITY NJ is here to help! We offer physical therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture–three unique approaches when combined, that can help you manage your symptoms so you can get outdoors and stay active all season long.
THE REHABILITY NJ CARE TO SHARE PROMOTION!
Enter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card for referring a family member or friend! We will enter your name into the drawing for each referral throughout the season. We look forward to helping you achieve your health goals throughout the year and we thank you for your continued loyalty and trust in our services!
Understanding Neuropathy
Neuropathy refers to damage to your body’s nerves. Most people with neuropathy have peripheral neuropathy, which specifically affects the nerves that connect your spinal cord to the rest of your body. As a result, symptoms occur in the extremities, such as the legs, feet and hands.
Symptoms may include:
- Numbness or tingling
- Burning or shooting pain
- Muscle weakness in the affected area
Nerve-related complications are often caused by conditions such as Diabetes, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Metabolic disorders and even as a result of Cancer treatments. Diabetes-induced Peripheral Neuropathy, which predominantly affects the legs and feet, is the most common type, which often causes balance and gait difficulty for many people as well.
Peripheral Neuropathy and Balance
When the nerves in your feet and legs aren’t working properly, it becomes harder to feel the ground beneath you, making it difficult for your brain to coordinate movement. As a result, you may feel unstable, develop an improper walking pattern, or lose your balance more easily—especially on uneven surfaces like sidewalks or grass.
This means that springtime activities like gardening, going for a walk, or attending a spring festival can feel risky. Some people may opt to avoid movement altogether, but with our team’s help, that doesn’t have to be the case!
An Integrated Approach for Effective Relief
At REHABILITY NJ, our physical therapists, chiropractor, and acupuncturist collaborate to create comprehensive care plans to address your individual condition and symptoms.
What is MicroVAS Therapy?
Our unique approach features MicroVAS Therapy, a FDA-cleared, non-invasive vascular treatment system that delivers electro-magnetic energy to targeted areas of the body. This process stimulates increased circulation to the surrounding tissues, helping to ease the effects of swelling while accelerating the healing response. MicroVas’ powerful, deeply penetrating waveform allows the blood to pump and circulate much more efficiently by elevating tissue oxygen levels, and what separates it from other technologies available on the market.
Rebuild Strength and Stability with Physical Therapy
Our physical therapists focus on helping you move better with less difficulty, while easing your symptoms. Treatment plans may include:
- Manual therapy techniques to facilitate blood flow throughout affected tissues, while reducing pain and swelling
- Gait training to help you walk safely and more efficiently
- Balance exercises to improve your body’s stability and reaction time
- Strength conditioning targeting the muscles that support your legs and core
- Neuromuscular re-education to retrain your brain and body to work together more effectively
- Fall prevention techniques to help you stay steady no matter where you are
Enhance Nerve and Joint Function with Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care can help reduce nerve pressure, maintain proper alignment, and restore function. This may include:
- Spinal and extremity adjustments to reduce joint pressure, improve mobility and facilitate uninterrupted nerve flow between your nervous system and the rest of your body
- Spinal traction therapy to reduce irritated nerve pressure where they exit the spine
Boost Circulation and Stimulate Sensation with Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves the use of very thin needles to stimulate specific points in the body, which offers several benefits for people with neuropathy:
- Promotes blood flow to damaged nerves
- Reduces nerve-related pain and inflammation
- Triggers the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals
- Improves overall relaxation and sleep
Small Improvements Lead to Big Changes
We know that neuropathy can be difficult to manage, but our team can help you feel safer and stronger with each step. With consistent care and the right support, it’s possible to:
- Reduce numbness and altered sensation in the legs, feet and hands
- Walk with better control and fewer stumbles
- Move with more confidence at home and outdoors
- Get back to the warm-weather activities you love
Don’t Let Neuropathy Hold You Back This Spring
You don’t have to manage neuropathy on your own. If you’re concerned that your neuropathy symptoms are affecting your balance and mobility, REHABILITY NJ will work with you to develop a personalized program tailored to your needs–helping you to move better this spring and beyond. Call us today to get started and we will help keep you moving forward with confidence!
Recipe of the Month: Honey-Lime Chicken and Veggies
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Zest of 1 lime
- Four 6-ounce chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 bunch asparagus
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ears corn, halved
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, stir together the butter, olive oil, garlic, ginger, honey and lime zest.
- Using 12-inch sheets of foil, build four packets. Place a chicken breast in the center of each. Season it with cumin and paprika. Divide the asparagus among the packets. Brush the chicken and asparagus with the honey-ginger sauce and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the food inside and crimp several times to seal.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the packets until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
- About 5 minutes before the chicken is finished, add the corn to the grill and cook until it’s browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish the chicken with cilantro and green onion before serving.
3 Tips for Starting a New Workout Routine Without Injury
As physical therapists, we’re fans of exercise. The CDC recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, and regular exercise will boost your mental and physical health. That said, you can’t immediately jump from a completely sedentary lifestyle to intense, hour-long daily workouts. For one, you’re likely to burn out and quit regular exercise altogether. But you also run the risk of injuring yourself.
Fortunately, there are a few strategies that can help you safely start up a physically active lifestyle:
- Talk to your physical therapist: Ever notice how workout videos tell you to consult with a medical professional first? If you’re new to exercising, this is crucial advice! Before you dive into a new routine, schedule an appointment with our PTs. We’ll perform a comprehensive assessment and help you guide you toward the right exercises for your needs.
- Start slowly and gradually build the intensity: If you’ve ever talked to marathon runners, they’ll tell you they spend months training. No one jumps off the couch and immediately runs 26.2 miles! Follow their lead and start with low-intensity workouts. Over time, you can add more time or more challenging exercises to your routine.
- Warm up and cool down: Make sure you begin every workout session with ten minutes of mobility exercises or light cardio and end each session with gentle stretches. Warm-ups prepare your body for movement, and cool-downs help bring your breathing and heart rate down to non-exercise levels.
At REHABILITY NJ, we love helping our patients get active safely and at their own pace. Call us today for personalized advice about starting your new workout routine.
You could be our next success story!
“Christian is amazing at acupuncture! I have been going here for over five years. I always come in and tell him everything I need cured and he always is able to help. Rehability is always so friendly and always gets me in quickly when I need an appointment!! If you are looking for a good acupuncturist I would 100% recommend Christian at Rehability! The staff is so nice and welcoming all the time!” -S.M.
