Introduction To Peripheral Neuropathy

Today's post from gobeyondrelief.com (see link below) is another beginner's guide to neuropathy - what it is, what its causes are and how they diagnose it. It doesn't go into treatments or any great details but for the person meeting neuropathy for the first time, it gives you a quick guide and as such is useful. The experienced neuropathy patient will learn nothing new from this short article but may wish to pass it on to concerned friends or family, who don't need to be swamped with detail.

Are You at Risk for Peripheral Neuropathy?
by Dr. Cohen Date unknown
 
Your Risk for Peripheral Neuropathy

The term, Peripheral Neuropathy, describes a disease that includes damage to one or more of the body’s peripheral nerves. That means that messages of sensations that pass between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system are disrupted.

The central nervous system includes the spinal cord and brain. Meanwhile, the network of the body’s nerves in all other body parts, like legs, arms, hands, feet, and internal organs, are called the peripheral nervous system. The nerves in this system exist to transmit messages from all parts of the body, up the spine, and then to the brain. When these message are disrupted, for a variety of different reasons, the condition is called Peripheral Neuropathy.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms

This health condition is caused by a number of medical health issues, and diabetes is the most common disease associated with it. With diabetics, symptoms may include numbness, itching, a “pins and needles” feeling in extremities, or even pain. Patients may also suffer from muscle weakness and a loss of coordination. Of all of the extremities, the worst symptoms are often felt in the feet and legs.

In some cases, the pain is so bad that doctors prescribe strong opiates to control it, but this is usually a last resort because strong prescription medications can have unwanted side effects. The disease is usually progressive, so minor symptoms often show up before the more serious ones arrive.

Even if the patient does not feel pain, numbness can be very dangerous. For example, many diabetics have to be very careful to always wear shoes and check their feet because they could suffer from foot injuries without realizing it. Many diabetics also need special socks and shoes that help support and protect their feet. 

Other Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

Even though diabetes is often associated with this condition, it is not the only possible cause. Leprosy and shingles are two other examples of diseases that can cause Peripheral Neuropathy.

Exposure to toxins, certain cancer drugs, and the statin drugs that are commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol also have been linked to this condition. With statin drugs, people will often not experience symptoms, but nerve damage has been diagnosed by doctors.

Other common heath conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome and small tumors, may cause pressure on the nerves and in turn, cause Peripheral Neuropathy. Treatment for these sources of this health condition may be different than it is for other medical conditions.

Auto-immune disease may also cause pain in nerves because of inflammation. In this case, doctors may try to treat the disease along with offering solutions to help reduce the symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy.

Diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathy

The first thing a doctor will do is take a complete medical history. This will help the doctor figure out if the patient suffers from any conditions, takes medications, or has had any toxic exposure that may commonly cause this condition.

In addition, he may perform some tests of nerve function, and these can include reflex texts, tests of muscle tone and strength, and tests of ability to feel different sensations. The doctor will also check coordination and posture.

The doctor may also order some additional diagnostic tests, and these are common examples:

* Imaging tests: CT and MRI scans are some common examples.
* Nerve function: Electromyography records electrical signals within muscles.
* Nerve biopsy: A small piece of muscle is removed to get examined for an abnormalities.
* Skin biopsy: A small piece of skin is removed to check for the number of nerve endings.

If you have any symptoms and are concerned that you might have Peripheral Neuropathy, then you should immediately talk to your doctor. We will discuss suggested treatments in a later article.

http://gobeyondrelief.com/peripheral-neuropathy-symptoms-risk-factors/