Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that adversely affects the transmission of nerve signals travelling through your body, due to nerve damage.
Peripheral nerves are the nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord.
There are several major types of peripheral nerves. Sensory nerves send messages to and from your brain about pain, temperature, vibration, position sense and touch. Motor nerves send signals to and from your muscles. They tell your muscles when and how to move. Autonomic nerves send signals that help your brain control body functions like heart rate, breathing, digestion, elimination, and hormonal function.
Two of the most common reasons that peripheral nerves become damaged are lack of blood flow and exposure to drugs or toxins. About half of all people with diabetes have some form of nerve damage due to loss of blood flow, secondary to their diabetes. Another common cause of toxin-related neuropathy is chemotherapy and statin drugs.
Most peripheral neuropathies are categorized as sensory, motor, autonomic or mixed. As an example, nerve damage from diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy, usually presenting as a sensorimotor neuropathy. It can lead to numbness, tingling, burning, leg weakness, and loss of balance, making walking difficult. If you keep your blood glucose levels within target range, you may help prevent or delay nerve damage.
Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can include numbness, tingling, weakness, burning, and loss of balance.
Nerve damage can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Numbness, tingling, and burning can also be caused by sciatica.
Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Finding a doctor to differentiate between these different causes is important for effective case management. We conduct a Neuropathy Assessment Evaluation, testing and grading a patient's ability to feel hot versus cold, dull versus sharp, vibration and position sensitivity.
The outcome score on this assessment can be used for grading the neuropathy from mild to severe, as well as monitoring response to treatment. Nerve conduction tests and blood tests can also help form an accurate diagnosis.
As is most commonly the case, early and effective intervention is critical for a good outcome. Knowing the symptoms to look for and reporting them to your health care team can help.
