What is peripheral neuropathy?
Neuropathy refers to any nerve that doesn’t work properly, whether due to injury or disease. Peripheral neuropathy more specifically refers to the nerves lying outside your brain and spinal cord, which includes three types of nerves:
- Motor nerves that go from the brain and spinal cord to your body, where they control muscle movement
- Sensory nerves that go from your body to your spinal cord and brain, delivering information about sensations like pressure, cold, hot, and pain
- Autonomic nerves that regulate body functions you don’t consciously control, including your heart, digestion, and metabolism
Peripheral neuropathy can affect one or more nerve types at the same time.
What causes peripheral neuropathy?
Nerve damage and numerous medical conditions can lead to peripheral neuropathy. The most common cause, however, is diabetes, which accounts for about 30% of all peripheral neuropathies.
These are a few examples of other medical conditions that may cause peripheral neuropathy:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Viral and bacterial infections
- Kidney disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Blood vessel disease
You may also develop peripheral neuropathy from certain medications and genetic disorders.
What symptoms might I develop due to peripheral neuropathy?
The symptoms you develop depend on the type of nerve affected. Motor nerve neuropathy causes symptoms such as cramps, muscle weakness, and muscle wasting.
If your sensory nerves are affected, you’ll experience symptoms such as pain, tingling, and numbness. You may also become hypersensitive and start to feel pain from soft, gentle stimuli like the touch of clothing.
The symptoms of autonomic nerve damage are determined by the body system served by the nerve. You could experience problems such as an irregular heartbeat, dizziness, excessive sweating, or trouble with digestion.
What is the treatment for peripheral neuropathy?
Identifying and treating the underlying health condition may improve your neuropathy as nerves heal and regenerate. Dr. Aggarwal may also prescribe medication to relieve neuropathic pain.
When your pain persists despite conservative treatments, Dr. Aggarwal may recommend an interventional treatment such as an injection of anesthetics and steroids. The anesthetic quickly relieves pain by blocking nerve signals, while steroids reduce inflammation.
If you develop symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy, call the compassionate team at Lower Merion Neurology or schedule an appointment online.
