Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/230373
GROUND WHAT IS NEUROPATHY? For this look at neuropathy, we'll be discussing two specific types: diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Both involve damaged and painful distal sensory and motor nerves. In DPN, the cause is uncontrolled blood glucose, while CIPN is a side effect of chemotherapy. There are several symptoms shared by both DPN and CIPN: • Initial, subtle discomfort in the hands and feet, sometimes including a feeling of reduced sensation described as "stocking and glove." • Progressive paresthesia symptoms such as burning, tingling, numbness, and a pins-and-needles sensation. • Clumsiness, deep muscle aches and pains, spasm, and loss of strength. Massage Can Reduce the Pain of Neuropathy By Charlotte Michael Versagi • In advanced cases, allodynia (pain from a stimulus that would normally not cause pain, such as the weight of a bedsheet on the toes). Approximately 30–50 percent of all diabetics will eventually have symptoms of DPN, including about 10–20 percent of newly diagnosed patients and 50 percent of all elderly patients. The most serious comorbidities include foot ulceration and lower-extremity amputation. DPN is characterized by uncontrolled (high) blood glucose, vascular insufficiency, and degeneration of nerve fibers due to lack of oxygen. It presents with mild onset, usually initial discomfort, and later progresses to acute pain, open wounds, and ulcers. If the decline is not controlled, amputation is a risk. DPN is prevalent in people who smoke, drink alcohol heavily, are hypertensive, or who have a long or uncontrolled history of diabetes mellitus. It pays to be ABMP Certified: www.abmp.com/go/certifiedcentral 83