Ask the Herbalist- Can You Help my Mom with Neuropathy Pain?

#asktheherbalist #neuropathypain #naturalremediesforpain

Ask the Herbalist-  Neuropathy Pain Remedy Suggestions

Question: I am writing this for my Mom that is 93. She has neuropathy in both feet and legs and is wondering if there's any herbs or do you have any suggestions for easing her pain. Doctors tell her there is no cure.

Thank you for your time.  Cheri D. (Nora L.) mom

Thank you for your Question Cheri! I hope these suggestions may provide some good choices for your mom to try. As always,  I recommend letting your doctor know what you are doing, as my goal is to help and not to hurt!

Answer: There are many natural remedies for peripheral neuropathy include lifestyle adjustments like low-impact exercise and quitting smoking, targeted herbal & dietary supplements, and topical applications and alternative therapies.  There are many options to choose from that can help reduce discomfort and support nerve health.

Lifestyle and Home Care

• Gentle Exercise and Movement: Activities like walking, swimming, or cycling boost blood flow and lower overall pain. Getting up frequently for short periods also helps stimulate blood flow and balance blood sugar levels

• Warm Soaks: Warm (not hot) foot baths relax muscles and improve circulation. Always test water temperature first if you have numb areas. Bath salts can be made with Epsom Salts, Seas Salt and Himalayan Pink Salt and dried herbs if desired. The salts draw out inflammation while providing magnesium that can help with muscular pain. Adding herbs like Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender and Mints can help add other soothing benefits.

• Smoking Cessation: Quitting smoking helps open narrow blood vessels and improves oxygen delivery to your nerves. Take Vitamin C and Calcium supplements to help strengthen the walls of your veins.

• Blood Sugar Control: Keeping blood sugar stable prevents further nerve damage, especially for those with diabetes.

• Supplements and Diet- always a good choice to add fresh foods, homemade foods and avoid access sugar, salt & highly processed foods.

• Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA): ia a  powerful antioxidant that may lower oxidative stress and ease nerve pain. It is found in organ meats primarily (Liver anyone?) and found in small amounts in Ginkgo, Nettle, Milk Thistle and Sage. Foods that contain ALA are Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Peas, Potatoes, and Spinach.   It can be taken as a dietary supplement which would be more effective.  

• B-Vitamins: Deficiencies in vitamins like B12 can cause or worsen nerve damage. Eating nutrient-rich foods or supplementing (under medical guidance) helps nerve repair. Nutritional Yeast is an amazing supplement high in B Vitamins that has a cheesy taste and easy to eat sprinkled on foods and popcorn.

• Acetyl-L-Carnitine: An amino acid that may reduce pain symptoms in diabetic neuropathy and found in animal-based foods- meats, poultry, fish & dairy.

• Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Focus on a rainbow of foods- leafy greens, fruits & berries, omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and walnuts), and magnesium-rich nuts.

Herbal Therapies can help with alleviating pain and neuropathy, especially when combined with topical therapies. Just keep in mind that herbs may interfere with pharmaceuticals and are not intended for everyone’s use. Choose the herbs and how you take it that suits your preferences, tastes and lifestyle. Herbal forms and suggested herbs:

·        Supplements- powdered herbs added into smoothies or other food like yogurt. Also added into capsules for those who prefer them. They take time to work and you should drink more water to help hydrate the powdered herbs.

·        Teas- fast acting and there are many flavors and tea blends to choose from. Some herbs taste good. With or without caffeine.

·        Tinctures- fast acting, herbal extracts often alcohol based. Take as needed directly into your mouth or dilute in water, tea or other liquid.

·        Topicals- Balms, Bath & Foot Soaks, Essential Oil Blends, Creams, Lotions, Sprays- many options to choose from- see below

·        Suggested Herbs, a long list but here are a few.  Anti-inflammatory herbs help ease pain or reduce swelling: Meadowsweet & Willow. Nervine Herbs: CA Poppy, Oatstraw.  Conducting Herbs that causes blood flow and movement throughout the body: Beet Root,  Cayenne, Ginkgo   

Topical and Alternative Therapies. There are many to choose from. Stronger isn’t necessarily better, you want relief but not burning skin or rashes. Try a few in combination along with what was listed above:

• Capsaicin Creams or Balms- Made from chili peppers, applying this cream to the skin can desensitize pain-signaling nerves. Creams or balms made with peppercorns or cloves can also desensitize nerve pain signals. Be mindful of irritations using these products as they tend to be strong and possibly not suitable for sensitive skin. There are many other types of topical balms, salves and ointments that contain a variety of different herbs

• Oil Blends-Essential oils added to carrier oils that can add fast, targeted relief and can be used frequently. Carrier oils can be warming like Sesame, neutral like Sunflower or cooling like Coconut or Jojoba oils.  Essential oils good for pain: Camphor, Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Myrrh and Mints, Menthol. Essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil and applied to painful areas on the skin. Do a patch test, apply a few drops under your wrist and wait a few hours, more or less, to make sure you don’t have a negative reaction, rash or swelling, especially if you have sensitive skin. CBD oils may also help.

• Herbal Pain Sprays- many on the market that can provide cooling, warming or a combination of both that help temporarily alleviate pain. Good for hard to reach areas and can be combined with other therapies.

• Acupuncture- Thin needles stimulate blood flow, and unblock stagnant areas that trigger the body's natural pain relief pathways. See a licensed practitioner for treatment options.

• Mind-Body Practices- Meditation and deep-breathing exercises reduce stress and emotional strain tied to chronic pain which can be very intense. Make sure you can get good, consistent sleep.

• Red light Therapy- uses specific wavelengths of red light to stimulate circulation and alleviate pain and reduce inflammation temporarily.  There are units you can buy therapy boots, pads and hand held devices.

Thank you for submitting questions, following us and supporting herbal education. This is a currently a free service, and eventually we will have subscription options. If you wish to make a small donation now you can do so here, it is much appreciated - https://www.herbalelements.net/donate

How Do we come up with answers and write these blogs?  They generally take 2-3 hours or more, sometimes less to research, write and publish our content. Uploading onto to several platforms takes more time as we are currently posting on Substack and HerbalElements.net. We start by doing an AI search on the particular subject, topic (either myself or a student). Then we may look up options, in books, websites and other reference materials. We do let AI help with outlines, a few phrases and sometimes a complete sentence, to speed up the writing process.

Most of the content is written by a human, reviewed by a human and edited by a human and sometimes with help from AI.

The information we provide is intended for educational purposes, and not evaluated by the FDA for content. Please consult with your medical team when starting new programs, herbs and diets, especially if you are taking pharmaceuticals, have pre-existing conditions, pregnant or lactating. Not all herbs are intended for everyone and sometimes you don’t know if are sensitive or allergic to something until you are exposed to it. Always be mindful of your reaction and discontinue if needed.

At Herbal Elements, we can provide consultations for a reasonable fee if you need more information and we also specialize in customizing herbal therapies especially for you- teas, supplements, tinctures, topicals- balms, oils and sprays. Inquiry by email or ask a question at- Asktheherbalistkerri@gmail.com