HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

The birth of a baby can trigger a jumble of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something you might not expect — depression.

Many new moms experience the "postpartum baby blues" after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues typically begin within the first two to three days after delivery, and may last for up to two weeks.

But some new moms experience a more severe, long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression. Rarely, an extreme mood disorder called postpartum psychosis also may develop after childbirth.

Postpartum depression isn't a character flaw or a weakness. Sometimes it's simply a complication of giving birth. If you have postpartum depression, prompt treatment can help you manage your symptoms — and enjoy your baby

Causes-There's no single cause of postpartum depression, but physical and emotional issues may play a role.

Physical changes. After childbirth, a dramatic drop in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in your body may contribute to postpartum depression. Other hormones produced by your thyroid gland also may drop sharply — which can leave you feeling tired, sluggish and depressed.

Emotional issues. When you're sleep deprived and overwhelmed, you may have trouble handling even minor problems. You may be anxious about your ability to care for a newborn. You may feel less attractive, struggle with your sense of identity or feel that you've lost control over your life. Any of these issues can contribute to postpartum depression

Symptoms- Signs and symptoms of depression after childbirth vary, and they can range from mild to severe.

Postpartum baby blues symptoms

Signs and symptoms of baby blues — which last only a few days to a week or two after your baby is born — may include:--Mood swings, Anxiety, Sadness, Irritability, Feeling overwhelmed,Crying, Reduced concentration, Appetite problems,Trouble sleeping

Postpartum depression symptoms

Postpartum depression may be mistaken for baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and last longer, eventually interfering with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth, but may begin later — up to six months after birth.

Postpartum depression symptoms may include:

·         Depressed mood or severe mood swings

·         Excessive crying

·         Difficulty bonding with your baby

·         Withdrawing from family and friends

·         Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual

·         Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much

·         Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy

·         Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy

·         Intense irritability and anger

·         Fear that you're not a good mother

·         Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy

·         Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions

·         Severe anxiety and panic attacks

·         Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

·         Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Untreated, postpartum depression may last for many months or longer.

Postpartum psychosis

With postpartum psychosis — a rare condition that typically develops within the first week after delivery — the signs and symptoms are even more severe. Signs and symptoms may include:

·         Confusion and disorientation

·         Obsessive thoughts about your baby

·         Hallucinations and delusions

·         Sleep disturbances

·         Paranoia

·         Attempts to harm yourself or your baby

Postpartum psychosis may lead to life-threatening thoughts or behaviors and requires immediate treatment.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

ACTEA RACEMOSA 30-Actaea Racemosa is one of the top medicines for Postpartum Depression where sadness and tearfulness predominate. The woman  is very sad, weeps a lot and the sadness gets worse from motion and cold. In some cases, the sadness is accompanied by the fear of going mad. Such a woman sits alone and cries. Another marked feature accompanying sadness is suspiciousness and the woman refuses to take any medicine. The woman also imagines things that trigger sadness like seeing rats running across the room and where everything seems confused and dark as if a black cloud has surrounded her. There is  alteration in the physical and mental symptoms.

IGNATIA AMARA-30- Ignatia Amara is also a good  medicine for Postpartum Depression that presents itself in the form of sadness and tearfulness where the woman has a very sensitive mood and gets angry from even a slight contradiction. The woman requiring Ignatia Amara usually has a history of concentrated grief during pregnancy. In women who have a difficulty in controlling their emotions and whose mood changes rapidly from happiness to sadness.  

NATRUM MURIATICUM 30- Natrum Muriaticum is an excellent  remedy for a woman who has an aversion to company, weeps alone and whose condition gets worse if someone tries to console her.

PULSATILLA NIG. 30- Pulsatilla Pratensis is another excellent medicine for this condition. But here the woman   likes the company of people, weeps in front of anybody or everybody and always  feels better when someone consoles her.

SEPIA 30-Sepia  is one of the   top l Homeopathic medicine for tackling irritability over the slightest cause during Postpartum Depression. Irritability associated with the fear of being alone and aversion to do any work, either mental or physical, can be managed with this medicine. If irritability is present along with a marked aversion to talk, then too Sepia Officinalis is the best remedy. It is also the ideal medicine when the woman develops an aversion to family members who she loved and cared for before the onset of symptoms.

KALI CARBONICUM 30-  Kali Carbonicum is useful when the  women facing Postpartum Depression in whom irritability of the utmost degree has set in and the woman has a fear of ghosts and fears being left alone. Such a woman will be sleepless if left alone in a house.

LILIUM TIGRINUM 30-Lilium Tigrinum is another  medicine that yields good results in Postpartum Depression where extreme irritability with violent palpitations are predominant symptoms. There is an increase in irritability when spoken to where the woman will use the most violent and indecent words even if the other person is very mild in speech.

BELLADONNA 200- Belladona is the ideal  medicine for women who complain of anger that comes and goes suddenly along with the face turning red. If anger is associated with violent acts like biting, striking or spitting on attendants, then too Belladona is the remedy. It is also of great help for women who want to run away, laugh excessively and tear things in fits of anger.

CHAMOMILLA 30- Chamomilla is the best remedy for Postpartum Depression patients who easily get angry and turn quarrelsome with the use of wild language, and show no respect for others.

ACONITUM NAPELLUS 30- Aconitum Napellus is one of the best medicine for depression and anxiety in Postpartum Depression patients who have a marked fear of death.The anxiety that gets worse in crowded places and while crossing the streets points.  Another symptom to take note of is extreme restlessness that makes the person do everything hastily. Aconitum Napellus is the best cure for depression and is very beneficial in all those cases where acute, sudden and violent attacks of anxiety occur with a marked fear of death and open air makes the Postpartum Depression patient feel better. There’s also an increased thirst for large quantities of cold water during the anxiety attack

ARSENICUM ALBUM 200- Arsenicum Album is another excellent  remedy  for anxiety with fear of death in Postpartum Depression patients. The patient refuses to take the medicine because she thinks that death is near and it’s useless to take any medicine. This symptom is accompanied by marked restlessness, making the patient continually change position, excessive weakness and the tendency to even faint.The anxiety attacks that get worse at night and make the person fearful to be alone .

COFFEA CRUDA 30-Coffea Cruda is also one of the best remedies  for depression and is a wonderful remedy to cope with the problem of sleeplessness  in women going through Postpartum Depression. The patients requiring Coffea Cruda go sleepless due to the mind being occupied with too many ideas. Oversensitive patients who have sudden mood changes from laughing to weeping and who experience sleeplessness that gets worse after 3 am .

 OPIUM 30- Opium is another remedy  for depression where the  patients who feel sleepy but remain awake due to acuteness of hearing. Distant noises like cocks crowing keep them awake.

AURUM METALLICUM 200-Aurum Metallicum is the top  Homeopathic remedy for Postpartum Depression . Due to  depression the patients who feel it’s useless to live, life is a burden and constantly think of committing suicide. Such women easily get angry over the slightest contradiction and any fright brings a feeling of depression.

NATRUM SULPHURICUM 30- Natrum Sulphuricum  is also a good  remedy for suicidal thoughts and a feeling of worthlessness in Postpartum Depression patients. The patients have to exercise much self-control to prevent themselves from commiting suicide.The patients who are very sad with an aversion to talk to others . Such a person cannot be made happy and even lively music is of no help.

                     

Depression During Pregnancy

Ssri Antidepressants In Pregnancy

Accurate, unbiased women's health information. Questions and answers on PMS, pregnancy, breastfeeding, birth control, weight, wellness, menopause and more..Your source for daily entertainment news and coverage of the films, TV and music you need to need to know about..View the latest health news and explore articles on fitness,t, nutrition, parenting, relationships, medicine, diseases and healthy living at CNN Health..Live a healthier life with TODAY's health tips and find the latest news for personal wellness, fitness,t and relationships..Easing labor pain may help reduce postpartum depression in some women, early research suggests 3D tumors grown in the lab provide new perspective for cancer drug .TODAY Parents is the premiere destination for parenting news, advice community. Find the latest parenting trends and tips for your kids and family on TODAY.com..Pill nowadays is the most popular pregnancy termination option. Medical Pill - is a method of in early pregnancy 6-7 weeks .The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place during the 1930s. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations; however .Read about depression, including how to tell if you're depressed, the treatments for different severities of depression, and how making lifestyle changes can help..Effects on Education and Health. Exposure to violence can have negative effects on the education and health of any young person. However, for LGBT youth, a national .

Pregnant Women And Depression

Woman Head In Hands

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place during the 1930s. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations; .Easing labor pain may help reduce postpartum depression in some women, early research suggests 3D tumors grown in the lab provide new perspective for cancer .Read about depression, including how to tell if you're depressed, the treatments for different severities of depression, and how making lifestyle changes can help..Pill nowadays is the most popular pregnancy termination option. Medical Pill - is a method of in early pregnancy 6-7 weeks .TODAY Parents is the premiere destination for parenting news, advice community. Find the latest parenting trends and tips for your kids and family on TODAY.com..Live a healthier life with TODAY's health tips and find the latest news for personal wellness, fitness,t and relationships..View the latest health news and explore articles on fitness,t, nutrition, parenting, relationships, medicine, diseases and healthy living at CNN Health..Your source for daily entertainment news and coverage of the films, TV and music you need to need to know about..Effects on Education and Health. Exposure to violence can have negative effects on the education and health of any young person. However, for LGBT youth, a national .Accurate, unbiased women's health information. Questions and answers on PMS, pregnancy, breastfeeding, birth control, weight, wellness, menopause and more..

WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AFTER HEART ATTACK

Women are more likely to develop anxiety and depression after a heart attack (myocardial infarction; MI) than men, according to research presented at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2014 by Professor Pranas Serpytis from Lithuania.

 Acute Cardiovascular Care is the annual meeting of the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and takes place 18-20 October in Geneva, Switzerland.

Professor Serpytis said: "The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020 depression will be the second leading cause of disability and mortality in the world, surpassed only by ischaemic heart disease. Major depression follows MI in approximately 18% of cases and is an important predictor of disability and poor quality of life in the year post-MI."

He continued: "Patients with depression are nearly 6 times more likely to die within 6 months after an MI than those without depression. The increased risk of death in patients with depression persists up to 18 months after the MI. But despite the fact that post-MI depression is common and burdensome, the condition remains under-recognised and undertreated."

The current study investigated the impact of gender and cardiovascular disease risk factors on the risk of developing depression and anxiety after an MI.

The study included 160 patients admitted with a myocardial infarction to the Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Clinics in Vilnius, Lithuania. Patients were interviewed at least 1 month after the MI to collect information on demographic (including sex, age, education, marital status) and clinical characteristics (incidence of diabetes mellitus, previous treatment for hypertension, previous MI), other cardiovascular disease risk factors (smoking, physical activity), and history of mental health issues.

Depression and anxiety were both assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS): no depression and anxiety (0-7 score), possible depression and anxiety (8-10 score), mild to moderate levels of depression and anxiety symptoms (11+ score).

The researchers found that nearly one quarter of patients in the study were depressed (24.4%) and of those, 28.2% had received treatment with antidepressants (p<0.05). The average HADS score for depression was 6.87 (±4.6) in men and 8.66 (± 3.7) in women (p<0.05). For anxiety the mean score was 7.18 (±4.6) in men and 8.20 (±3.9) in women (p<0.05).

Professor Serpytis said: "We found that women were more likely to develop anxiety and depression after a heart attack than men. More research is needed to discover the possible reasons for this."

The researchers also found an association between anxiety and smoking. In the study, 15.6% patients were current smokers and their mean HADS score for anxiety was 10.16 (±4.9). An additional 77.5% of patients had never smoked and their mean HADS score for anxiety was 7.3 (±4.1), while the 6.9% patients who had quit smoking more than 2 years ago had a mean HADS score for anxiety of 4.55 (±3.7) (p<0.05).

Professor Serpytis said: "Current smokers were more likely to have anxiety after an MI than never smokers or people who had quit smoking more than two years ago. We did not find any association between smoking and depression after an MI."

Physically inactive patients tended to be depressed, with a mean HADS score of 8.96 (+4.1). Overall, 64% of patients with depression said they were not physically active (p<0.05).

Professor Serpytis said: "Women are misrepresented in many clinical studies on MI even though they often have worse outcomes. Our study shows that women are more likely to develop anxiety and depression after MI than men but until now this issue has been largely unnoticed. Clinicians should assess MI patients, particularly women, for anxiety and depression so that timely treatment can be started."

He concluded: "Our study suggests that encouraging patients to quit smoking and increase their physical activity levels should reduce their risks of anxiety and depression after MI. More research is needed on the links between myocardial infarction and mental health problems."

EXERCISE CAN PROTECT BRAIN FROM DEPRESSION

Physical exercise has many beneficial effects on human health, including the protection from stress-induced depression. However, until now the mechanisms that mediate this protective effect have been unknown. In a new study in mice, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden show that exercise training induces changes in skeletal muscle that can purge the blood of a substance that accumulates during stress, and is harmful to the brain. The study is being published in the journal Cell

In neurobiological terms, we actually still don't know what depression is. Our study represents another piece in the puzzle, since we provide an explanation for the protective biochemical changes induced by physical exercise that prevent the brain from being damaged during stress," says Mia Lindskog, researcher at the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet.

It was known that the protein PGC-1a1 (pronounced PGC-1alpha1) increases in skeletal muscle with exercise, and mediates the beneficial muscle conditioning in connection with physical activity. In this study researchers used a genetically modified mouse with high levels of PGC-1a1 in skeletal muscle that shows many characteristics of well-trained muscles (even without exercising).

These mice, and normal control mice, were exposed to a stressful environment, such as loud noises, flashing lights and reversed circadian rhythm at irregular intervals. After five weeks of mild stress, normal mice had developed depressive behaviour, whereas the genetically modified mice (with well-trained muscle characteristics) had no depressive symptoms.

"Our initial research hypothesis was that trained muscle would produce a substance with beneficial effects on the brain. We actually found the opposite: well-trained muscle produces an enzyme that purges the body of harmful substances. So in this context the muscle's function is reminiscent of that of the kidney or the liver," says Jorge Ruas, principal investigator at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet.

The researchers discovered that mice with higher levels of PGC-1a1 in muscle also had higher levels of enzymes called KAT. KATs convert a substance formed during stress (kynurenine) into kynurenic acid, a substance that is not able to pass from the blood to the brain. The exact function of kynurenine is not known, but high levels of kynurenine can be measured in patients with mental illness. In this study, the researchers demonstrated that when normal mice were given kynurenine, they displayed depressive behaviour, while mice with increased levels of PGC-1a1 in muscle were not affected. In fact, these animals never show elevated kynurenine levels in their blood since the KAT enzymes in their well-trained muscles quickly convert it to kynurenic acid, resulting in a protective mechanism.

"It's possible that this work opens up a new pharmacological principle in the treatment of depression, where attempts could be made to influence skeletal muscle function instead of targeting the brain directly. Skeletal muscle appears to have a detoxification effect that, when activated, can protect the brain from insults and related mental illness," says Jorge Ruas.

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 350 million people are affected.

The Connection Between Depression And Neuropathy

Today's post is the first of three very useful articles from neuropathy.org (see link below), the website of the Neuropathy Association. It talks about the psychological effects that neuropathy brings with it and how they can change the quality of life for both patient and people in his or her immediate circle.
Today's article by Natacha Pires, shows how important it is to recognise the impact of neuropathy's co-morbidities. Articles 2 and 3 appear in the next two days.

What Do Depression, Anxiety and Sleep Disturbances Have To Do With Neuropathy

By Natacha T. Pires, M.B.B.S.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles aimed at helping you better understand the link between anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and neuropathy.



Neuropathy is a 24/7/365 battle for many in our community. And, much like other chronic diseases, neuropathy has physical, emotional, and psychosocial components that can be overwhelming and can complicate your health care provider’s efforts to help you effectively manage your neuropathy.¹

“What should I expect with neuropathy five or ten years down the line?” “What treatments are available to better manage my neuropathy? I’ve tried everything my doctors have recommended…nothing works.” “I feel hopeless and isolated because my family and friends do not understand what is happening to me.” These are just a few concerns that can be overwhelming and set the stage for co-morbid (or associated conditions) such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairments. These comorbidities may not always appear at diagnosis; they surface over time, and are often unreported and untreated because we—patients and health care providers alike—are focused on the physical symptoms of neuropathy such as neuropathic pain, lack of coordination, and imbalance to name a few.

Why Is It Important to Recognize Neuropathy’s Comorbidities?

Results from numerous studies have demonstrated that chronic pain and neuropathic pain both negatively affect quality of life.² One of the first steps toward understanding chronic diseases is recognizing its existence and its toll. Between 30% and 60% of all patients diagnosed with a chronic illness report having feelings of depression and anxiety.³ When comorbid, pain, depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments, and sleep disturbances slow the treatment of each other and worsen physical and psychological disability, thus increasing neuropathy’s burden and making its management even more of challenge.⁴ According to Steven Feinberg, M.D. (adjunct associate clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine), “The real pain comes from ‘the losses:’ losing a job, losing respect as a functional person, loss of sexual relations…all of these make people depressed.”⁵

It is also important to recognize the similarities between depression and chronic pain. Both are chronic illnesses exacerbated by stressors; share some of the same chemical messengers (or neurotransmitters) traveling between nerves; and, share some of the same nerve pathways. These similarities help us understand how--and why--optimal treatment strategies use a combination of behavioral and pharmacological approaches known to improve both the physical neuropathic pain symptoms and the symptoms of depression and anxiety.⁶

What Can You Do To Better Cope With Neuropathy and Its Comorbidities?

Because the symptoms of neuropathy and its comorbidities vary from one patient to another, treatment is individualized. A number of factors affect treatment strategies: the underlying cause, co-existing medical conditions, your current and past medication history, and other individual factors such as biology. And, what works for one person does not always work for the next person. It is also important to understand that there are therapies that can improve pain symptoms—but not eliminate them completely.⁷But, addressing the comorbidities can help improve treatment outcomes in general. Understanding and accepting this helps set achievable treatment goals with your physician.

Neuropathy’s comorbidities can often go undiagnosed because you—and your health care provider—may be focused on managing neuropathy’s primary symptoms (e.g., neuropathic pain, imbalance, weakness).⁸ It is important to talk with your health care provider if you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, sleep disturbances, feelings of helplessness, loss of (or increased) appetite, and fatigue. Your health care provider will help you better understand these symptoms and work with you to manage them. Often, this could mean taking a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to managing your neuropathy. Depending on your needs, your health care provider might refer you to a range of specialists (for pain management, psychiatry, psychology, podiatry, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, to name a few) to help better manage your symptoms.

Managing neuropathy is about finding a balance between the benefits of therapy (and often the use of combination therapy) and the side-effects, the goal being reduction of pain and other co-morbidities to restore functionality, psychological well being, and quality of life.

REFERENCES1.-8. Jain R, Jain S, Raison C, L., and Maletic V. “Painful Diabetic Neuropathy is More Than Pain Alone: Examining the Role of Anxiety and Depression as Mediators and Complicators” Current Diabetic Reports 11.4 (2011): 275-84

2. McCarberg B. H. and Billington R. “Consequences of Neuropathic Pain: Quality-of-Life Issues and Associated Costs” American Journal of Managed Care 12. 9 (2006): S263-68

3. http://www.netplaces.com/migraines/your-emotional-health/coming-to-grips-with-a-chronic-disease.htm (Accessed Sept. 24, 2011)

4. Karp J. P., and Reynolds, III C. F. “Depression, Pain, and Aging” Focus 7 (2009): 17-27

5.-6. WebMD Website, http://www.webmd.com/depression/managing-pain?page=2 (Accessed on Sept. 21, 2011)

7. Argoff C. E., Backonja M. et al, “Consensus Guidelines: Treatment Planning and Options” Mayo Clinic Proceedings 81.4 (2006): S12-25


http://www.neuropathy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8107

Neuropathy and Depression

Today's post comes from The Neuropathy Association (see link below) and discusses what most neuropathy patients would probably describe as an inevitable consequence of having severe neuropathy and that is, depression. Combine that with having HIV, with all its associations and nobody can be surprised that depression goes hand in hand with the diseases to make people's lives a misery. Of course, one of the standard neuropathy treatments involves anti-depressants; essentially to suppress painful nerve signals and most doctors would see the anti-depressive qualities as a plus...win/win then? Unfortunately, that's not always the case. If the anti-depressants fail to control the neuropathy pain or other symptoms, then the depression is exaggerated rather than helped. Moving onto stronger drugs just pushes the depression further into the background, leading to more serious problems later.

What Do Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Disturbances Have To Do With Neuropathy?
By Natacha T. Pires, M.B.B.S.

Neuropathy is a 24/7/365 battle for many in our community. And, much like other chronic diseases, neuropathy has physical, emotional, and psychosocial components that can be overwhelming and can complicate your health care provider’s efforts to help you effectively manage your neuropathy.


“What should I expect with neuropathy five or ten years down the line?” “What treatments are available to better manage my neuropathy? I’ve tried everything my doctors have recommended…nothing works.” “I feel hopeless and isolated because my family and friends do not understand what is happening to me.” These are just a few concerns that can be overwhelming and set the stage for co-morbid (or associated conditions) such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairments. These comorbidities may not always appear at diagnosis; they surface over time, and are often unreported and untreated because we—patients and health care providers alike—are focused on the physical symptoms of neuropathy such as neuropathic pain, lack of coordination, and imbalance to name a few.

Why Is It Important to Recognize Neuropathy’s Comorbidities?
Results from numerous studies have demonstrated that chronic pain and neuropathic pain both negatively affect quality of life. One of the first steps toward understanding chronic diseases is recognizing its existence and its toll. Between 30% and 60% of all patients diagnosed with a chronic illness report having feelings of depression and anxiety. When comorbid, pain, depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments, and sleep disturbances slow the treatment of each other and worsen physical and psychological disability, thus increasing neuropathy’s burden and making its management even more of challenge. According to Steven Feinberg, M.D. (adjunct associate clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine), “The real pain comes from ‘the losses:’ losing a job, losing respect as a functional person, loss of sexual relations…all of these make people depressed.”


It is also important to recognize the similarities between depression and chronic pain. Both are chronic illnesses exacerbated by stressors; share some of the same chemical messengers (or neurotransmitters) traveling between nerves; and, share some of the same nerve pathways. These similarities help us understand how--and why--optimal treatment strategies use a combination of behavioral and pharmacological approaches known to improve both the physical neuropathic pain symptoms and the symptoms of depression and anxiety.


What Can You Do To Better Cope With Neuropathy and Its Comorbidities?
Because the symptoms of neuropathy and its comorbidities vary from one patient to another, treatment is individualized. A number of factors affect treatment strategies: the underlying cause, co-existing medical conditions, your current and past medication history, and other individual factors such as biology. And, what works for one person does not always work for the next person. It is also important to understand that there are therapies that can improve pain symptoms—but not eliminate them completely. But, addressing the comorbidities can help improve treatment outcomes in general. Understanding and accepting this helps set achievable treatment goals with your physician.

Neuropathy’s comorbidities can often go undiagnosed because you—and your health care provider—may be focused on managing neuropathy’s primary symptoms (e.g., neuropathic pain, imbalance, weakness). It is important to talk with your health care provider if you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, sleep disturbances, feelings of helplessness, loss of (or increased) appetite, and fatigue. Your health care provider will help you better understand these symptoms and work with you to manage them. Often, this could mean taking a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to managing your neuropathy. Depending on your needs, your health care provider might refer you to a range of specialists (for pain management, psychiatry, psychology, podiatry, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, to name a few) to help better manage your symptoms.

Managing neuropathy is about finding a balance between the benefits of therapy (and often the use of combination therapy) and the side-effects, the goal being reduction of pain and other co-morbidities to restore functionality, psychological well being, and quality of life.

http://www.neuropathy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8107