Nerve Damage – Supportive Treatment With Homeopathy

Our body has billions of nerves. They function to carry messages between the brain and rest of the body in a well coordinated way for smooth functioning of the body. Among the nerves some carry messages from brain to muscles for body movement and some carry messages about temperature, pain, pressure and other helps for proper vital functions like breathing, heartbeat, senses. But when the nerves are damaged then there appears trouble in communication between nerves and brain as damaged nerves are unable to carry messages to and from the brain. This results in various signs and symptoms like numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness, balance issues etc. Homeopathic remedies for nerve damage can help halt further progression and give symptomatic relief to a person.

Causes 

Nerve damage can arise from various reasons. 

Firstly, it can arise from excessive pressure on nerve, nerve compression or nerve pinching. Some of its examples are  sciatica and carpal tunnel syndrome Sciatica refers to pain running down from lower back to the back side of leg from compressed, pinched, irritated or damaged sciatic nerve. Carpal tunnel syndrome Is a condition that arises from compression of the median nerve in the wrist that presents with pain, numbness and tingling in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and the thumb side of the ring finger.

Second reason behind it is diabetes (it mostly damages sensory nerves resulting in numbness). 

Next it can occur in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, guillain barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis. Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disorder in which the immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath of the nerve fibres due to which the communication between  brain and the rest of the body is disrupted. Guillain barre syndrome is a rare neurological disorder  in which the immune system attacks the nerves that are located outside of the brain and spinal cord (means peripheral nerves). It usually  begins with tingling and weakness in feet and legs followed by its spread to the upper body and arms. Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder that causes weakness of skeletal muscles in varying degrees.

It can also occur in diseases like motor neuron disease (a group of conditions that leads to loss of function of nerves in the spine and brain), lyme disease  (an infectious disease which is caused by a bite from ticks infected with any of the four species of bacteria known as  Borrelia), hepatitis C, HIV and cancer. 

Next nerve damage can arise from injury or trauma to the nerve as in car accidents. 

Excessive smoking and alcohol drinking also can lead to nerve damage. 

Other than this it may follow use of some medicines and toxic drugs. It can result from some vitamin deficiencies. Apart from above it can be a part of ageing. There are many causes for nerve damage however in many cases around 30 % of the cases no cause is ruled out behind nerve damage.

Symptoms 

The signs and symptoms in case of the nerve damage usually develop gradually. Numbness of hands and feet is often the first symptom that appears when sensory nerves are damaged. Tingling or burning sensation can also attend numbness. The numbness and tingling may radiate from hands or feet into arms or legs. Next common symptom of nerve damage is pain generally in hands and feet. The pain here is a very sharp, stabbing, or burning type of pain. Third symptom of nerve damage is muscle weakness or loss of muscle control, paralysis and with time muscle wasting (atrophy) can arise. Difficulty walking, issues with fine motor skills like gripping something can arise here. These symptoms arise when there is some damage to motor nerves that connect the central nervous system and muscles in the body which are linked with the ability to move. Another symptom is a sharp pain beginning in the lower back and travelling down the back side of the leg (sciatica). Burning, or tingling sensation can also appear over this area. This happens when the sciatic nerve gets compressed or damaged from slip disc, injury, some diseases like diabetes.

Muscle cramps and twitching, excessive sweating or less sweating, intense headaches are other symptoms of nerve damage. Intense headache here can be a sign of occipital neuralgia that  occurs when a nerve in the neck gets pinched causing pain in the upper neck and back of the head. Overactive bladder ( a condition in which a person has frequent, sudden urgency to urinate) can also result from nerve damage. Apart from above loss of balance and coordination while walking  can arise that carries risk of stumbling accidents and falling leading to injury.

Homeopathic Remedies for Nerve Damage 

There is great scope to manage cases of nerve damage in homeopathy. These medicines help to manage its symptoms present in every individual case. These medicines play a supportive role and can be taken along with conventional medicines for symptom management. Symptoms including numbness, tingling or burning sensation in hands and feet, nerve pain, muscle weakness, loss of balance and coordination with difficulty in walking, sciatica, muscle cramps, twitching, overactive bladder can be well managed with these medicines. Though these medicines are safe to use, any of them should be used under supervision of a homeopathic physician after complete case analysis. This is necessary because prior use of these medicines the reason behind the nerve damage needs to be very clear as sometimes the reason behind nerve damage is critical and the patient needs to be referred for urgent help from conventional mode.  

1. Kali Phos – For Numbness of Hands and Feet 

Kali Phos is an effective medicine for nerve damage cases with numbness of hands and feet. The numbness can also be present in arms and legs. Sometimes burning sensation may be felt on toes and soles. It is also indicated if the numbness is localised specifically to the fingertips. Other than numbness its use is also recommended to manage prickling sensation in hands and feet. Additionally, muscle weakness can attend to the above symptoms in cases needing it.

2. Hypericum – For Tingling and Burning Sensation in Limbs

This medicine is prepared from a plant Hypericum Perforatum also known by the name of St. John’s Wort. This plant belongs to family hypericaceae. It is a very suitable medicine for nerve damage with tingling and burning sensation in limbs. In some cases numbness in limbs is also present where it is required. It is also useful when a person feels sharp, excruciating pains from nerve damage along with above symptoms. Hypericum is one of the best medicines for managing cases of nerve damage that arise from injury.

3. Magnesium Phos – For Nerve Damage Attended with Pain

This medicine is well indicated for managing pain from nerve damage. In cases requiring it the pain can be sharp, shooting, stitching. Lightning – like or cutting in nature. They tend to come and go and can be unbearable. Sometimes they are wandering in nature that keeps on changing its location from one body part to another.

4. Arsenic Album – For Burning Pains in Limbs

It is a very useful medicine for cases in which there are burning pains in the limbs. Weakness and heaviness of the limbs can accompany this. Next it is indicated for managing tingling sensation felt in the fingers. Other than these indications numbness and weakness in the feet is suggestive of its use.

5. Causticum – For Cases Presenting with Muscle Weakness 

Causticum is a top grade medicine for cases that have muscle weakness. People who need it have muscle weakness in limbs. The limbs also feel heavy to them. They may have dull tearing pain in the arms along with weakness. Numbness in hands can attend above symptoms. Unsteady walking with a tendency to fall easily can be another complaint for them. Causticum is also a leading medicine to manage cases where muscle function has been lost (paralysis). It helps manage cases of paralysis of limbs, facial muscles, tongue, eyelids, vocal cords and urinary bladder. Next it is a highly valuable medicine to manage cases of carpal tunnel syndrome arising from compressed median nerve.

6. Plumbum Met – For Muscle Weakness, Paralysis  along with Wasting of Muscle

Plumbum Met is a well indicated medicine that plays a supportive role to manage cases in which there is severe muscle weakness or paralysis which is accompanied with wasting (atrophy) of muscles. In some cases that require it pain in limbs of tearing or lightening like may be felt. Along with pain, numbness, tingling or twitchings can also be present in the limbs.

7. Agaricus and Zincum Met – For Muscle Twitchings

Both these are great nerve medicines and remain very effective to manage muscle twitching. In cases needing Agaricus the twitchings are marked in the eyes, eyelids, and facial muscles, cheeks, limbs. Another main symptom to use Agaricus is unsteady walking with a tendency to tumble over everything in the way. While Zincum Met is indicated for cases having twitchings in face and limbs. 

8. Cuprum Met – For Muscle Cramps

It is very helpful medicine for managing muscle cramps. For using it the cramps can be present in legs, feet, calf muscles, fingers or toes. The pain in cramps is very intense where it is required. With cramps the limbs may be hot and very sensitive to touch. Other than cramps this medicine also helps cases of tingling sensation in limbs and also muscle twitching. 

9. Colocynth – For Pain Radiating from Lower Back to Back of Legs (Sciatica)

Colocynth is prepared from the pulp of the fruit of a plant named Citrullus Colocynthis or Bitter Apple. This plant belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. It is highly effective medicine to manage sciatica pain arising from nerve damage irritation or compression. Persons needing it have pain in the lower back that radiates down the back side leg even to the toes. For using it the pain can be shooting, drawing, tearing or cramping in nature. They feel relief in pain by applying pressure or also rubbing and from warm application. Most times they feel worsening of the pain at night time. Among the sides it is most prominent for left side pain though works well for right side as well. 

10. Gnaphalium – For Sciatica Pain and Numbness

This medicine is prepared from fresh plant Gnaphalium polycephalum also known as old balsam and sweet – scented everlasting Flower. It belongs to the family Compositae. It is a highly beneficial medicine for sciatica pain attended with numbness. The pain to use it is mainly darting, or cutting type. It gets worse from motion and is better by sitting.

11. Gelsemium – For Loss of Balance and Coordination while Walking

This medicine is prepared from the bark of the root of the plant Gelsemium Sempervirens having the common name yellow jasmine. It belongs to the family loganiaceae. It is very significant medicine for managing cases where a person has loss of balance and coordination while walking. He has difficulty with walking and his gait is unsteady because of inability to control muscle movements. He staggers on attempting to walk. This medicine is also prominently indicated to manage muscle weakness and paralysis. Lastly this medicine is very useful for pain in the back side of the head (occipital headache).

12. Merc Sol – For Frequent and Urgent Urination from Overactive Bladder 

Merc Sol gives good results in cases of an overactive bladder with frequent and urgent need to urinate. Persons needing it have a frequent urge to urinate day and night. The urge to pass urine is also sudden. urgent and they have to rush and hurry to pass urine. If delayed urine tends to leak involuntarily.

13. Spigelia – For Headache 

It is prepared from plant Spigelia anthelmia having the common name pink-root. It belongs to the family loganiaceae. It is very suitable medicine for managing headaches. It is well indicated for a headache on the left side. The key feature to use it is pain that begins in the occipital (back) region of the head and then extends upward and settles over the left eye. For using it the pain is very violent and pulsating in nature. Stooping and eye movement most times makes it worse in cases needing it.