What Are the Treatments for Poor Balance & Peripheral Neuropathy?

Poor balance can be the result of a serious disorder such as multiple symptom atrophy or Parkinson's disease. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition in which the patient feels a numbness and slight pain in his hands and feet. These conditions can be treated in a variety of ways, depending on the severity of the case.

Underlying Conditions

• People who experience poor balance can take medication for the condition that causes the balance problem in the first place. Combined levodopa and carvidopa are medications used to treat Parkinson's disease, and they can help with symptoms such as poor balance. They can also improve overall feelings of well-being and health.
  Peripheral neuropathy is often caused by trauma, so patients may need to be treated for the trauma and in order to recover from it. It can also be caused by diabetes, so some patients with peripheral neuropathy will take insulin as part of their treatment. Vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune diseases and exposure to poisons can also cause this type of neuropathy, so treatment for these conditions can often relieve the pain and numbness of the neuropathy itself.

Drug Treatments

• The next step in managing these conditions is to treat the pain the patient may feel. For mild pain symptoms, over-the-counter painkillers should work; in more severe cases, doctors may prescribe stronger painkillers. Neuropathy patients may also need to take anti-seizure medications, which can soothe nerve pain. They may also take lidocaine, which is a topical painkiller applied to the area of the body experiencing the most pain. Some antidepressants, such as Cymbalta, can also help because they interfere with pain receptors in the brain and therefore make the patient feel he is experiencing less pain than he would be without the medications.

Lifestyle Remedies

• For balance issues, patients may need to walk with a cane or use a wheelchair. They will likely need to avoid driving, particularly if dizziness occurs with the poor balance. Sometimes the balance problems occur immediately after standing from a seated position, so rising slowly and moving more slowly can ease the symptoms as well.
  For neuropathy, patients should take good care of their feet, particularly if diabetes is the cause of their peripheral neuropathy. This includes wearing loose socks and shoes, checking for signs of blisters or injuries and keeping feet clean and dry.
  Neuropathy patients should also eat healthy meals and get plenty of exercise. These lifestyle changes will improve overall health and help the patient combat the condition. Avoiding alcohol and tobacco products whenever possible are also important steps in this process. Smoking affects blood circulation, which can worsen neuropathy symptoms.