The sensory and motor symptoms are usually more to be part of the presentation and are needed to cope with it. Various lifestyle modification has to be done to improve the outcome of the condition and decrease life years lost to the disability.
Lifestyle Changes For Peripheral Neuropathy
First of all, diet modification is the foremost lifestyle change to be done immediately according to the cause of the condition. If the diet is deficient in vitamins and minerals they need to be increased, if the carbohydrate and fat are more in the diet they are needed to be decreased and hygiene of the food should be maintained properly to prevent foodborne infections. Blood glucose levels are needed to be strictly controlled and sugar consumption should be minimized because the most common cause identified and responsible for peripheral neuropathy is diabetes mellitus. It takes a long period of time of about 15 to 20 years to reach a stage of severe disease and hence timely intervention could prove beneficial for the patient.
The environment of the person should be changed to reduce the exposure of heavy metals and other toxic products that are responsible for causing peripheral neuropathy in the patient. Small and timely breaks from the occupation to replenish the damaged incurred to cells and prevent it from becoming irreversible.
After the disability has been suffered, it is necessary to make lifestyle changes to minimize it and get the best output of the remaining function. Physical therapy and exercise are recommended to its patients because a very good prognosis and recovery of the function lost is a scene with it. Vigorous exercise, brisk walking, running, etc. can improve the motor symptoms and helps in recovering the muscle mass loss, the degree of function to a great extent [1]. It is also seen to be helpful with the management of pain and sensory symptoms. It works on the mechanism that exercise improves the blood flow of the associated compartment which in turn increases the regenerative materials and the remaining nervous tissue can undergo hypertrophy to take up the function of lost neurons.
Supportive prosthetics and walking measures are given to the patient and their use can be taught to be self-reliant and pursue its occupation without much difficulty. The patient is also educated to manage its pain with the help of exercise and a newer supportive technique in the form of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
Patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy can also undergo psychological changes because the quality of life of the patient is affected badly. The presentation could be variable between positive and negative symptoms. It can be seen as either irritability, aggressive behavior, angriness, or loss of interest, apathy, anhedonia, decreased libido, poor cognition, etc. It is important to give timely psychological support to the patient to help to bear the disability otherwise the results could be far more serious. So, a combination of recreational therapies is designed which can be performed within a small group or a community and help the patients to cope with changes of peripheral neuropathy. (1)
Conclusion
Peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating disease and is responsible for disabilities ranging from mild tremors and sensory loss to an amputation, that is why it becomes very important to introduce various changes in the lifestyle to cope with the condition. Dietary and environmental modifications are the preliminary changes that do not cost much but can be very effective in improving the symptoms. Physical therapy and exercise have been the best of the methods to limit the disability and improve the prognosis of the condition. Self-pain management is taught with the help of meditation, exercise and psychology are strengthened with the help of recreational and speech activities which helps to boost the confidence of the patient. Medical consultants belonging to different branches like physiotherapy, medicine, psychology, surgery, etc. are working together for the wholesome reduction of the suffering of the patient in peripheral neuropathy.
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