Peripheral Neuropathy

peripheral neuropathy is a common condition occurring when injury or disease damages your peripheral nervous system originating from your brain and spinal cord peripheral nerves extend to your skin muscle and tissues your peripheral nervous system relays vital information between your body and the brain in the form of electrical impulses there are three types of peripheral nerves motor nerves regulate the movements of your body's skeletal muscles sensory nerves transmit sensations such as heat vibration touch and pain to the brain autonomic nerves regulate the activities of internal organs and glands each nerve is made up of many interconnected

cells called neurons that transmit impulses at lightning speed this constant exchange allows your brain to respond to vital input from your body however damage to the nerves disrupts this critical link resulting in peripheral neuropathy damage to a single nerve called mononeuropathy usually results from injury or repetitive stress an example of mononeuropathy is carpal tunnel syndrome repeated impact to the nerve in your wrist may cause tingling pain and weakness in your hand arm and shoulder involvement of multiple nerves called polyneuropathy is far more common damage typically begins in the nerves farthest from the central nervous system

and progresses symmetrically polyneuropathy can be caused by diabetes and other systemic diseases infections or exposure to toxic substances one or all of the three nerve types may be affected and symptoms are specific to each damage to sensory nerves characteristic of diabetes can lead to numbness in your hands and feet with diminished ability to detect temperature insensitivity to pain or over sensitivity to pain polyneuropathy may also cause damage to your motor nerves which can result in muscle weakness twitching and pain common signs of autonomic nerve damage include intolerance to heat loss of bladder control gastrointestinal disturbances

in impairment of breathing and impairment of heart rate generally treatment of peripheral neuropathy is aimed at treating the underlying cause and providing symptomatic relief if you have mono neuropathy you may receive pain relief medications physical therapy to maintain muscle strength or surgery to release compressed or entrapped nerves if you have polyneuropathy your doctor will treat the underlying disease to prevent further damage to the nerves he or she may recommend pain medication to relieve your symptoms if you have polyneuropathy with sensory impairment your doctor may recommend orthopedic shoes to prevent foot injury you