Natural Remedies for Neuropathy: Holistic & Nutritional

Estrogen can morph into neurotransmitters. So on some level you could say it is a neurotransmitter. As hormone levels drop neuropathy can occur. Neuropathy in women can start within a decade of approaching menopause. There are quite a few studies out on estriol and Parkinsons as well.

If you know a senior lady who suddenly developed some neurological condition who is trying to find some answers, a good question to ask is "Did you recently stop taking estrogen?" I know of several women who developed neuropathy after 30 years of estrogen therapy- just stopping. There are some natural safer ways to increase estrogen, I understand.

What helped me was a very small daily dose of natural thyroid (not the synthetic). I tested fine but my body temp was always around 96.8. Subclinical thyroid conditions do exist and if there is neuropahy it is worth researching as well. I did not know it would do this. I was just tired of wearing a winter coat at work and shivering in the desert.

If iron is low neuropathy can occur. My experience is that the homeopathic Carc Carb 6x or blackstrap molasses (huge section in this site) was real helpful. I used to go to a Dr. In Pa who demand that you take blackstrap molasses every day. If you did not he could tell.

Anyway it is worth doing a search on the following: "Estrogen Neuropathy" "Menopause Neuropathy" "Anemia Neuropathy" "Hypothyroidism Neuropathy" "Estriol Parkinsons" Estrogen Neurotransmitter"

Another thing that can help is searching "Dosha Test" If the body type is Vata neuropathy can occur. There are ways to make corrections to diet and sleeping schedule that can bring relief.

Kelley, Yes I have tried Alpha Lipoic Acid, but for another issue... It did not agree with me... It made my heart race terribly... Don't know why... That was about 10 years ago.. I have recently found out that by eating raw potatoes you can get your Alpha Lipoic Acid... I don't know what the strength would be though... It is something I will certainly consider...

Thank you very much for your concern and time posting you recommendation... It is greatly appreciated...

This too will pass.......

Bless you

John - Have you tried Alpha Lipoic Acid capsules? It's worked wonders for me and scores of others.

Hi Connie, You sure are certainly informed with regard to P.N. And many other things. I cannot thank you enough for your time and support. You are heaven sent. You will indeed get your hit record.

Regarding the magic bullet for P.N. I'm going to give benefotiamine a try, if all else fails. I have researched it throughly. It's a man made form of Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine).

Again, NO ONE was put on Earth to suffer. We all are here to thrive.

Bless you.

Hi John P. ; I do hope you're having some improvement by now with the B12. Have your symptoms changed at all? Oftentimes as nerves heal, numbness, tingling, and pain can alternately diminish and return temporarily. Temperature sensitivity can also shift. Although I've tried numerous subtances for neuropathy, the B12 has worked best far and away. But this only means that it worked for my case. (though there are many case studies to support B12's efficacy with neuropathy). Still, the folks here are offering good suggestions as these supplements also have an excellent track record for treating nerve injury. I also welcome suggestions because someone may just pop us the right answer!

I see you are trying transdermal applications. It still surprises me how powerful they are. In fact, I cringe when I recall that I've coated my hands with paints that were loaded with heavy metals. Then I would use nasty solvents to remove them. Now I use gloves. But I do use the solvent, DMSO with some transdermal applications. I've added 4 (20mg) B12 lozenges, crushed with a mortar and pestle, to a 1 oz. Dark glass dropper bottle, mostly filled with DMSO. I shake it vigorously for a few minutes until dissolved. This is an approximate recipe developed by Dr. Gregg. I've used this off and on for several years with good effects. I buy the DMSO and supplies from a chemical shop. The mixture is a bit sticky, and the flavorings make for an unusual scent, but it did help me. I would often use it on my left hand which had become frighteningly stiff and numb. I'm now trying it on the small numb spot on my heel to see if it speeds recovery. Castor oil is also a great medium to use either alone or with added essential oils, some good warming ones could be : Oil of Oregano, Cinnamon Oil, Black Pepper Oil, and Ginger Oil. Cayenne is very warm, but I have only seen it as a powder or extract. There are some ready-made salves, but some are with cooling mints. I do have one that is warm, it is called Badger sore muscle rub. It is mild. Good Wishes.

MSM:-(Methylsulphonylmethane. ) It's available in tablet or crystal form, the crystals are said to be quicker absorbed. Health food shops sell it or available online. It, s sold usually to supportjoint comfort and mobility. We googled what are the health benefits of MSM for diabetes, and came up with a great page explaining all about it. Usage , dosage, etc....

Hi Connie, Thanks for the great suggestions.... I currently rub my legs with magnesium oil fro "Ancient Minerals", however I don't know if it has been working as I have been doing it for only 2 weeks... No results... Yet... Rubbing castor oil may be a good idea as it is highly recommended for hep-c in a pack against ones liver for an hour or so per day via Edgar Casey and many other current people... So transdermally it may help significantly... I will try it on just a small part of one leg and see if I get any kind of reaction with my hep-c.... I am so cautious with adding things as I have had bad reactions to many things... I feel this is because of my liver..

Thank you again so very much, John P.

Hi John P. ; A few days ago, I asked myself ; What has B12 not done for you? My hair is still 40% gray, and I haven't yet written that " hit song". Each day is a bit better, but it's so slow for me. When the neuropathy was at its worst, I began with a litany of supplements to cure it , but I was using so many at the same time , I couldn't discern what was working. I became confused. My studio became an apothecary. When I look back, I realize that there were so many obvious clues for me, but I was distracted with pain and fear, and I had spent my life on denial of my instincts. I've got a way to go with that. What I'm learning from you is that you are going about your healing process logically and methodically. I appreciate this. Although B12 is not the only one thing , Its pretty dang'd powerful. There have been and there are currently tests being done for people with MS and early ALS to at least improve their status. The amounts being used are 50 mgs. Daily by injection. This means that there could be a wide variance in an individual's needs. I've tried a wide variety of amounts, and I'm still somewhere between 2500 - 5000 mcgs. Daily now.

I've " haunted" some forums, and it appears that other people are trying a wide variety of amounts, but, most seem to be settling in the 1000 - 5000 mcg. Range. Some are lower, and some are extrordinarily higher. I have been influenced by this information, so I need to be mindful of it when making suggestions. Another thing I am noticing about B12 is that it is raising my body temperature and I am feeling warmer. ( I've read this and now I'm seeing it. I'm at 98. 2 degrees now). I believe it will help with cold legs eventually. I also believe that massaging legs and feet with oils can be wonderful. (my skin is dry, so I use castor oil). I've used various salves for pain with good effects. Since you have coldness, I would recommend that warming spices be added to your salve, such as Ginger, and Cayenne. Ginger has been recommended to raise body temperature and improve circulation. ( internally and transdermally) Best to You.

Hi Connie,

ThanKs for the reply... I'm wondering what amount of B-12 are you currently taking? I have gotten up to 10, 000mcgs... I went very slow for obvious reasons... I have only been on this for less than a month... If it took you 6 months, I guess it will not be overnight with me either... I tried taking lecithin and it thinned my blood out (assumption) and I have gotten very cold as of today... I got a commendation to rub coconut oil on my body... Don't know if you've heard of this... I may try it on a small part of my leg for starters and see what happens...

I am extremely grateful for your advice and your quick response...

God bless, John

Hi John P. ; I truly hoped that you had knocked that neuropathy out of the park right away, but it usually does take time to heal nerve inflammation. It took about 8 mnths. For me , 3 1/2 yrs. Ago. Then, when I stopped taking it daily, and regressed, it took several months to again heal the nerves. Even after restarting B12, I still regressed during the first month. Now in my 6th month, I have a small, shallow numb area on the heal of my left foot, and it is recovering feeling. The area around it is sensitive and tingly. This means that time is necessary. Also, it means that we're going to have to get more technical with your process.

Firstly, I've read that oftentimes with liver trouble, potassium could go low. That can cause some cramping and pain. If you are not taking any potassium sparing meds. , such as some certain diuretics or anti-hypertensives, then consider increasing potassium foods. ( careful with the sweet ones, they can cause pain). Consider getting a copy of blood test and observe electrolytes. ( I find I feel best when K is about 4.5 mEq/L). Fresh vegetable juices are great, carrot, celery, and added greens. Smoothies are also a great option, as are homemade broths with the retained liquid from the veg.

As I see that you have expressed a sensitivity to acids, I agree that reducing them is a good way to alleviate pain. The nerves are exposed, and even beneficial acids can cause pain now. Although citric acid is natural and good, it is added to so many foods as a preservative, that it is easy to get too much. Even ascorbic acid can cause pain. I don't recommend total avoidance, but some reduction. I recommend a food type B-complex. (new chapter). It's expensive, but less is needed. I've found that it doesn't cause pain when taken with meals at 1/2 to 1 tablet. B1 and B6 are good for nerves at lower dosages, ( personal opinion ). Also, the fat soluble vitamins, A and D, can be difficult to metabolize when there is liver trouble, so I recommend getting them from food rather than supplements. Good Wishes.

My neuropathy is due to diabities and I take Alpha Liopoic Acid intravenously and by pill. A lady who has hep c was the person who got me on this regime. It helps.

My partner also suffered with PN due to his diabetes, he was already taking ACV and CO, this seemed to help his blood sugars , but not the pain.

However literally after the first dose of MSM he got instant relief, he continues to take it but rather on an if and when need basis. Also we read that LECITHIN can help, which he also takes, daily, due to a relative short shelf life. He is so much better.!!! Oh I hope this helps , any one that suffers this puts up with so much.:(.

Looking for Connie from Utah...

Hello Connie,

You gave me a remedy for my Periphal Neuropathy... I am now up to 10,000 mcgs of B-12 and still have pins and needles and severe cramps in the middle of the night in my calves... My legs are cold from the knees down and we're in a heat wave in August.... It seemed to subside initially, but the full neuropathy is still there... I have been doing it for about 3 weeks.. Is this something that may take months to resolve? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated... If you recall I believe that hep-c has caused this neuropathy...

Thank you...

Like you, I have developed neuropathy from chemo. I am ready to start the supplements that have worked for you and apparently many others. Would you mind telling me what brands you have used. Also do you use any benfotiamine?(B-1)

Thanks so much for the hope! Faith

I had stage 3 cancers in colon, rectum, and prostate chemo radiation and had terrible neuropathy after for 3 years trying numerous specialists and pain killers w no results then my brother told me about actyl-l carnitine 1000 mg 2xs a day and alpha-lipoic acid 250 mg 2xs a day - within a few days an absolute miracle happened i can walk pain free and in balance my golf game has gotten much better shooting way under par almost daily - I'm a PGA pro who couldnt finsh 9 holes until now -could play 27 if needed- hope it works 4 u 2.

You might want to try food grade Hydrogen Peroxide 7%. works excellent with epsom salt. you need 2 cups of 7% peroxide to 1 cup of epsom salt. soak in a hot tub of water 113degree. you can soak for a min. of 25 min will work longer 1 hour if have time. when filling tub they sell flat thermometers in hardware store best also to buy a small round fan and I hung it on th bathroom entrance door blowing towards the tub. it maks it extremely comfortable to relax longer. you best get a ground falt electrical breaker home depot. it adapts between outlet and fan cord for safety, the unit is yellow my lasy go to model buy a swim cap made out of soft material this will prevent your hair from bleaching. good luck, it works excellent.

Months ago, I added Alpha Lipoic Acid (100mg 3x per day) to my daily supplements for its antioxidant properties. After about a month, I noticed that the intense foot burning and pain I'd been experiencing for years was GONE! Yay!!

Just an FYI - the dosage I take is a low one (300mg/day). Those suffering with different types of neuropathy could go as high as 800mg/day.

I am a caregiver for my 93 year old mother who has neuropathy. I started giving her turmeric for hip pain (cured it 2 diferent times). I ran out and it was 12 days before I could get anymore. I hadn't noticed before I ran out, but, after it got out of her system, she started complaining about her legs numerous times during the day. It dawned on me that she had not been complaining so much of late. Once I got her back on the turmeric, she stopped having the complaints. She hurts in the morning when she first gets up, then virtually none afterward. I give her 2-500 mg a day. I take 3 a day as it greatly helps my arthritis.

Thank you T from Maryland. I just looked up that book. It seems I have already bought it (I probably bought it after you replied in 5/10) but haven't read it yet (my memory isn't that great anymore either). I'll make time this weekend. Thank you for the advise on going gluten free. I'll try anything at this point. Thank you again.

I should have expanded the thread before I replied... I see I already replied to you back in May ;) Well I just gave you the same advice as I did then, only I'll add that I am even more of the belief that it is Hashimoto's as you've got the nodules now as well. The longer you let this attack your system, the worse off you are going to get. You already have obvious autoimmunity going on and this predisposes you to other autoimmune problems such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Please check out the book; I believe your answers are there but it's down to you to learn and make the changes you need to make.

It strongly sounds to me like you have Hashimoto's. Please check out Dr. Datis Kharrazian's thyroid book; it's excellent. Right up front I'll tell you that you'd need to go completely gluten-free. There are tons of resources online to aid you in doing that (seems tough at first but it's certainly manageable - I did it in April because of Hashi's and it has definitely helped me). Check out celiac sites for lots of help and advice on going gluten-free, and do read the book if you can as it's really loaded with detailed information and practical advice. Best of luck, and update us again soon!

To FU on my 5/18/10 post... Well, my mystery hasn't gotten any clearer. I am now getting neuropathy in my hands. I switched doctors and this one isn't much better. In the beginning he was going to run all these tests b/c my previous doctors had "completely missed the boat. " So, for my first test he scheduled a thyroid ultrasound. After that he said he would address any possible circulation problems. The US showed that I have mutliple nodules on both sides of my thyroid. I thought this doctor was really going to be the answer. Boy was I WRONG! I went back for my FU appt last wk. No more tests. All my levels are "stone cold where they're supposed to be. " So, his answer was to increase my Gabapentin. So, now I'm more tired that before (on top of feeling awful normally). I just don't know what else to do. There has to be a reason I feel like this (neuropathy in feet & hands, tired, fatigued, generalized aches & pains throughout my body, and per my previous post TPO >1000, B12 deficiency, Vit D deficiency) and no one seems to care... They just want to give me a pill. The closest holistic doctor is 2 hrs away & costs $190 for the first visit & FU visits cost $60-$190 every visit after that depending on your diagnosises. I live practically in the center of WV. Does anyone have any suggestions? I just don't want it to be something that could have been prevented from getting worse.

Your antibodies are a big red flag for Hashimoto's. How are you so sure you don't have Hashimoto's? What kind of ignorant doctor is trying to diagnose Hashi's by TSH levels?? Your TPO is way higher than mine was. Did you have anti-TG Ab testing as well?

I highly recommend Dr. Datis Kharrazian's thyroid book for those with Hashi's (or suspected Hashi's). That is the one that finally put many pieces of the puzzle into something that makes real sense.

Re: B12 - I take a sublingual B12.

I just wanted to comment on the B12. This is my first time on this site. My friend told me about it. I thought I would check it out. I have neuropathy. No doctor will diagnose why though. I do however have a TPO count of over 1000. TPO is the level of thyroid antibodies (which will eventually lead to Hashimotto's disease). Anyway, since my TSH level isn't high yet (which would mean hypothyroidism), they won't diagnose me with it. So, I did some research on my own. I am 29 now but the neuropathy started when I was 20. I didn't go to the doctor about it until I was 27. They put me on B12 shots. I did that weekly x 4 wks. My count went down! Eventually the number came up. Anyway, when my endocrinologist mentioned Hashimotto's, I did some research and found that Hashimotto's causes everything that wrong w/ me--neuropathy, B12 deficiency, Vitamin D deficiency. For some reason, Hashimotto's affects the lining of your stomach and you're just not able to absorb the B12. So, in my case, I can't take supplements--they won't work. I have to just keep taking the B12 shot until some brilliant doctor finds a cure for Hashimotto's disease (which I don't have, even though they didn't check my T4 count to make sure it was jiving w/ my TSH). I have found doing my own research is much cheaper & more beneficial.

Definitely try B12 for neuropathy. It must be methylcobalmin and must be sublingual (under your tongue lozenges). It is unfortunate that you can't list brands because there are several brands out there but only two that I have found that are really good. I suspect it is the quality of the methylcobalmin. You must be consistent with taking it everyday but eventually the neuropathy will get better. It takes some time so be patient but it definitely works. B12 is water soluable so you don't have to worry about getting too much, your kidneys will simply remove the excess.

I have found that B1 and B12 works well on neuropathy. There are certain types of B1 that are fat soluable (benfotiamine) so it doesn't just go out of the body, but the body can actually hold onto the B1 and use it to repair the nerves. There is also B12 that can be found that is methylcobalamine or methyl B12.. The body has to convert the B12 to methyl B12 before it can use it, thus getting it already converted means the body can use it. You can find these online, not usually in health food stores.

Hi, I have a pinched nerve also in my lower back and I have not been diagnosed with neuropathy, I do have symptoms like neuropathy. I did research on EC and other sites regarding alc and alpha lipoic acid is helping me also. I take 400mg a day.

Alpha Lipoic Acid for Neuropathy

I have a pinched nerve in my back which causes peripheral neuropathy. I have been using ALA for almost 2 weeks now and my symptoms have improved I take 300 mg (time released tablets) twice per day.

My mom has peripheral neuropathy not caused by diabetes. She complained every day and it had started to cause a persistant burning in her forehead also (a form of pn according to her neuologist) She now takes 300mg of alpha lipoic acid daily and no longer has the forehead sensation and feet are much less painful. She stopped for awhile and within weeks was complaining of the old symptoms. She resumed the supplement and symptoms abated.

I have severe neuropathy and my head shakes. I went to a health food store and got alpha lipoic acid amd have been on it for eight days and it has been wonderful. I no longer have pain and my head doesn't shake. I feel like anew person.I hope this can help someone else. It's nice to go out and not be stared at.