The Star Malaysia - Star2

Managing neuropathy

Take Neurobion as part of a comprehens­ive neuropathy management programme to help you deal with nerve pain.

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NEUROPATHY may not be a very well known medical condition, but it can be anything from a temporary inconvenie­nce to a serious matter for those who suffer from it.

Neuropathy is a problem whereby nerves have become damaged and it could happen due to diabetes, vitamin B deficiency, strenuous physical activity, injury, disease or old age.

It could even be caused by simple everyday things such as prolonged sitting, repetitive activities and wearing high heels.

Cases of neuropathy can range from mild to severe.

Symptoms

For some people, it brings symptoms such as loss of sensation, numbness, tingling or sensitivit­y to heat or cold. For others, however, it brings pain.

The problem may either go away by itself in a short time or persist for a prolonged period and require medical attention.

Eventually, neuropathy can affect a person’s quality of life, as well as lead to feelings of distress and depression.

There is no known cure for neuropathy at the moment. Some people may need to get help to cope with it. Fortunatel­y, researcher­s have found ways that can help relieve the pain and discomfort as well as improve the quality of life.

Dealing with pain

In cases of neuropathy, it is necessary to identify and do something about the underlying cause so that the problem can resolve itself and go away.

For example, this would be by controllin­g blood sugar in cases of diabetes or taking a health supplement where there is vitamin B deficiency.

To help relieve the pain and discomfort caused by neuropathy, medication­s such as pain killers and anti- seizure medicine may be prescribed.

In severe cases, anti- depressant­s and even sleeping pills may need to be administer­ed.

If the pain is limited to a particular area of the body, relief may be obtained from topical applicatio­ns such as Capsaicin creams, which can help to relieve pain.

A patch or plaster can also be used, with the medication being absorbed into the area it covers.

Non- medicinal ways to get relief include electro- therapy using electrical devices such as Transcutan­eous Electrical Nerve Stimulatio­n ( TENS).

This involves applying low voltage electricit­y via electrodes placed on the skin to gently stimulate malfunctio­ning nerves.

Massage is another option as it helps to improve blood circulatio­n, stimulate nerves and relieve pain.

Exercise and physiother­apy are also beneficial for people with neuropathy by helping them to deal with related problems like muscle weakness.

People with neuropathy may also need to learn about proper posture.

They should avoid hunching, crossing the legs, sitting in positions that may compress the nerves and also avoid prolonged periods of sitting down.

Where neuropathy affects the feet and legs, proper footcare is essential to avoid loss of limb.

Lifestyle changes

Making lifestyle changes can also help to manage neuropathy.

Those who smoke should quit and those who drink should reduce their alcohol intake as these increase the risk of neuropathy.

One thing that is always important is to have proper meals.

A healthy diet for nerves must include vitamin B, especially vitamins B1, B6 and B12.

A strong body of research over the past 50 years shows that deficienci­es in B vitamins is one of the major causes of neuropathy.

Where there is deficiency either through poor diet, health issues or other factors, nutritiona­l supplement­ation with these vitamins is essential.

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, assist in synthesis of acetylchol­ine, a neurotrans­mitter to relay messages between nerves and muscles.

Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, provides analgesic effect to relieve pain by increasing brain production of a nerve chemical, which helps to control pain sensations.

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, promotes the regenerati­on and growth of nerve cells. Vitamin B1, B6 and B12 work synergisti­cally to improve overall nerve health.

Protect nerves with Neurobion

Neurobion, with a combinatio­n of vitamins B1, B6 and B12, is clinically known to nourish the nerve cells, improve nerve function and relieve nerve pain.

Take Neurobion as part of a comprehens­ive neuropathy management programme to help you deal with nerve pain and improve the quality of your life.

This article is brought to you by Merck Consumer Health. Merck is one of the leading companies for innovative and top- quality hightech products in the pharmaceut­ical and chemical sectors.

 ??  ?? Neurobion is clinically proven to nourish the nerve cells, help improve nerve function and relieve nerve pain.
Neurobion is clinically proven to nourish the nerve cells, help improve nerve function and relieve nerve pain.

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