6 Foods To Avoid That Can Aggravate Neuropathy & Make It Worse (2023)

FAQs

What foods flare up neuropathy? ›

Foods that are high in sugar – Sugar can aggravate nerve pain and discomfort, so it is best to avoid foods that are high in sugar. This includes sugary snacks, desserts, and processed foods. Fried foods – Fried foods are unhealthy and can worsen neuropathy symptoms.

Whole grains.

For carbohydrates, choose whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and sprouted grain bread. The outer shell of the grain, which is maintained in whole grains, contains important B vitamins that are important for brain and nerve health.

Neuropathy patients can often find themselves with lower levels of B12. It's important to eat foods high in B12, such as eggs, milk or cheese.

The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of tart cherry, which have been seen in the treatment of arthritides, appear to be applicable to neuropathic pain as well, providing relief that is at least as good as conventional treatments, with no adverse effects.

Antioxidants like CoQ10 and acetyl-l-carnitine can help to prevent or reverse nerve damage, and they help to reduce pain. Antioxidant packed foods include blueberries, fish, beans, walnuts, green veggies, and beans.

Also a great anti-inflammatory agent, apple cider vinegar can help combat the inflammation caused by nerve pain. To reap the benefits of apple cider vinegar, just mix 2-3 tablespoons of the vinegar in a glass of warm water. You can add a teaspoon of organic honey to help it taste better.

At high doses, methylcobalamin, the active form of vitamin B12, accelerated nerve regeneration, increased myelination, and improved motor and functional recovery of injured nerves [80, 83]. Vitamin E is an essential lipid-soluble vitamin with potent antioxidant effects.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins, which help calm the nervous system.

B Vitamins

Vitamins B-1, B-6, and B-12 have been found to be especially beneficial for treating neuropathy. Vitamin B-1, also known as thiamine, helps to reduce pain and inflammation and vitamin B-6 preserves the covering on nerve endings.

Can you eat oatmeal with neuropathy? ›

It is very important for neuropathy patients to watch their weight and sugar intake; nuts can be a great snack to incorporate. Whole Grains– Brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat, or sprouted grain bread are excellent choices because they are high in fiber, which helps with inflammation.

Regular exercise, such as walking three times a week, can reduce neuropathy pain, improve muscle strength and help control blood sugar levels. Gentle routines such as yoga and tai chi might also help.

Diabetes is the leading cause of polyneuropathy in the U.S. About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nerve problems that can cause numb, tingling, or burning feet, one-sided bands or pain, and numbness and weakness on the trunk or pelvis.

Vicks VapoRub also has other popular off-label uses—and these have more support than use of the product on the feet to improve a cough. Vicks is sometimes used on the feet to relieve neuropathy pain, treat toenail fungus, and soften callouses.

One of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy in the U.S. is diabetes. The most common type of peripheral neuropathy is diabetic neuropathy, caused by a high sugar level and resulting in nerve fiber damage in your legs and feet.

Pain, burning, and tingling are treated with over-the-counter and prescription medication such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including COX-2 inhibitors; topical creams; antidepressants; anticonvulsants; and opioids.

It has been proposed that cocoa has hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and thus, potentially have a beneficial direct or indirect effect on diabetic neuropathy.

There isn't enough evidence to categorically assert that soaking your feet in apple cider vinegar (ACV) will help in treating neuropathy. However, there is some evidence verifying the effectiveness of ACV in controlling inflammation and relieving pain generally.

Among the best are Chinese skullcap, lemon balm, wood betony, St. John's wort, chamomile, prickly ash and milky oats. These are found in a variety of ways including commercial tea, dried herb so you can make your own tea or compress, tinctures, capsules and so forth.

Vitamin B12

It's been shown that even high doses of vitamin B12 can potentially repair damaged nerves. Good sources of vitamin B12 are yogurt, fatty fish such as salmon, cod, and sardines.

Does Tylenol help neuropathy? ›

Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, are often unhelpful in alleviating the type of pain associated with neuropathy. For people with chronic nerve-related pain, a doctor may prescribe topical patches containing lidocaine or an anti-epileptic or antidepressant medication.

Nutritional support with high levels of vitamin B12, B6, and inositol are also important in diabetic nerve pain as are many other nutrients, such as vitamins C and E, magnesium, antioxidants and bioflavonoids (all in the Energy Revitalization System).

Spend a few minutes stretching out your neck, shoulders, arms and lower back. This is also a great way to refocus your mind and relieve mental stress. Walking: You can walk for 30 minutes or an hour for exercise, but even a brisk 10-minute walk can naturally calm your nerves. Try to take your walks in nature.

a. Add on oral vitamin B combination (B1, B6, and B12) to standard treatment in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy is more effective in reducing pain and neuropathic symptoms in 8 weeks of treatment compared with standard treatment, b.

The required doses of Vitamin B12 for neuropathy in adults are: 1000mcg daily over five days. 1000mcg weekly over five weeks.

Yes! Turmeric will help address peripheral neuropathy because it contains curcumin, a strong antioxidant. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic properties. These combine to relieve peripheral neuropathy symptoms (numbness and tingling) in the hands and feet and prevent chronic pain.

Refined grains

These include white rice, white bread, instant rice, and low-fiber cereal, among others. Instead, you can eat oats, barley, brown rice, whole wheat bread, quinoa, and popcorn; these have good energy, but they don't cause your glycemic index to spike like refined grains do.

Citrus Fruits and Strawberries Contain Vitamin C, Which Help Fight Stress. Some studies have found that high levels of vitamin C may help ease stress levels.

What vitamins stop tingling in feet? ›

The B vitamins — vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 — are the most common ones. Deficiencies in copper, calcium, and magnesium can also lead to tingling in your hands and feet. Most of the time, correcting the deficiency can help reverse the symptoms.

If you have nerve damage in your feet, avoid repetitive, weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging, prolonged walking, and step aerobics. Repeated stress on feet that are affected by neuropathy can lead to ulcers, fractures, and joint problems. Choose exercises that do not put stress on your feet, such as: Swimming.

DOs and DON'Ts in Managing Peripheral Neuropathy:

Exercise, eat healthy meals, lose weight, and quit smoking. DO avoid repetitive movements, cramped positions, toxic chemicals, and too much alcohol—things that cause nerve damage.

In conclusion, six-week honey treatment helped in reducing dyslipidemia and oxidative stress. Honey given along with insulin for six-weeks improved sensory nerve conduction velocity in experimental diabetic neuropathy Wistar rats.

Compression socks improve nerve sensitivity if you suffer from nerve damage or neuropathy. Because compression socks help hinder excess swelling and inflammation, utilizing them can decrease swelling and, therefore, lessen the risk of infection.

Some recommended sleeping positions include sleeping in a recliner, sleeping on the back with a pillow underneath the legs, and sleeping on one side of the body with a pillow between the thighs.

PRESS RELEASES. ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Jan. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Proclaim™ XR spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system to treat painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a debilitating complication of diabetes.

Results: Bilateral lower extremity neurological deficits were common, reaching 54% in those 85 and older. PN was strongly associated with earlier mortality. Mean survival time for those with PN was 10.8 years, compared with 13.9 years for subjects without PN.

Proximal neuropathy

This type of nerve damage is usually only on one side of the body and can affect the hip, buttock, or thigh. Proximal neuropathy can cause severe pain and difficulty with movement, as well as weight and muscle loss.

What is the best doctor to see for neuropathy? ›

If your doctor suspects you may have a form of peripheral neuropathy, they may refer you to a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the nerves.

One or both may be helpful. Sometimes switching between heat and ice may work the best for you: Put an ice pack, gel pack, or package of frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth on the sore area every 3 to 4 hours for up to 20 minutes at a time. Put moist heat on the sore area for up to 30 minutes to relieve pain.

Nerve Pain

It's best to use cold when the pain is still sharp and move on to heat once that sharpness has subsided. The heat will increase blood flow and help tissues heal faster.

Try relaxation techniques:

Use the power of your mind: imagine lying down, gently falling asleep, staying asleep during the night, and feeling rested in the morning. Try 10 minutes of meditation before bed. Soak your feet and hands in a warm bath to relax your nerves at night. Make sure the water isn't too hot though.

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may lessen or go away over time, but in some cases they never go away.

There is no cure for peripheral neuropathy but proper treatment will slow progression and address your symptoms. If the cause of the foot neuropathy is known, then treatment of the underlying cause may provide relief.

Cooler temperatures: With peripheral neuropathy, according to Loma Linda University Health, your feet will be far more sensitive to cooler air. As temperatures drop at night, your peripheral nerves can begin to tingle more, and you'll feel more burning or sharp pains.

Neuropathic Pain Treatment. Anticonvulsant and antidepressant drugs are often the first line of treatment. Some neuropathic pain studies suggest the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Aleve or Motrin, may ease pain.

What slows the progression of neuropathy? ›

Other important ways to help slow or prevent neuropathy from getting worse include keeping your blood pressure under control, maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular physical activity.

Vicks VapoRub also has other popular off-label uses—and these have more support than use of the product on the feet to improve a cough. Vicks is sometimes used on the feet to relieve neuropathy pain, treat toenail fungus, and soften callouses.

While the general benefits of aerobic and flexibility exercises are well-known, increasing movement and heart-rate are particularly important for people suffering with peripheral neuropathy. Physical activity can improve blood circulation, which strengthens nerve tissues by increasing the flow of oxygen.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) provides your nerves with energy to function, while vitamin B6 relieves nerve pain and transmits nerve impulses correctly. Vitamin B12 regenerates the nerves, protecting them from damage. A deficiency in vitamins B12 or B1 may be partly responsible for your nerve pain.

Capsaicin is used to help relieve a certain type of pain known as neuralgia (shooting or burning pain in the nerves). Capsaicin is also used to help relieve minor pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis or muscle sprains and strains.

Is there an over-the-counter equivalent to gabapentin? No. Gabapentin is a controlled substance and there are no over-the-counter equivalents. All gabapentin alternatives are prescription medications.

Stage Four: Constant Numbness

It indicates that the nerves are dying. While the relief may be nice, it also shows that much of the small nerve fibers have disintegrated. The larger fibers are now beginning to become permanently damaged, too.

Nutritional or vitamin imbalances, alcoholism, and exposure to toxins can damage nerves and cause neuropathy. Vitamin B12 deficiency and excess vitamin B6 are the best-known vitamin-related causes.

Compression socks improve nerve sensitivity if you suffer from nerve damage or neuropathy. Because compression socks help hinder excess swelling and inflammation, utilizing them can decrease swelling and, therefore, lessen the risk of infection.