7 Signs You Have Peripheral Neuropathy
When you stub your toe, cut your finger, or feel a drop of water on your skin, your nervous system is hard at work transmitting information to your brain to help you feel these sensations.
This complex series of neural pathways run throughout your body and play a part in every basic function, from sensation, sweating, and digestion to balance, learning, and heartbeat. This is because neurons travel from every location (i.e., organs, skin, muscles) in the form of electrical signals through your nerves to the brain, which processes responses and regulates function.
Nerves can be damaged, and while mild injury can heal over time, peripheral neuropathy is a type that results from various conditions and injury, can show a variety of symptoms, and lead to lasting damage in your body.
If you live in the Sugar Land, Texas, area and you’re dealing with problems due to neuropathy or other types of pain, Dr. Lalani and our team at Irfan Lalani, MD, PA, can help. Here, we take a closer look at neuropathy, including what it is, the various symptoms it can cause, and how we can help.
Understanding peripheral neuropathy
Your peripheral nerves are one of two major parts of your nervous system, the other being the central system, where the brain and spinal cord are located. Peripheral neuropathy can happen in different ways, depending on whether damage affects a single nerve (mononeuropathy) or several nerves (polyneuropathy).
Common forms of peripheral neuropathy include:
- Entrapment, which is caused by compression or other types of pressure on a nerve
- Length-dependent neuropathy, where dysfunction starts in the longest nerve
- Small fiber neuropathy, which damages smaller, narrow nerves, such as in the skin
- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIPD), which damages the myelin sheath of your nerve through inflammation
Damage to peripheral nerves can be caused by disease (i.e., autoimmune problems, diabetes, shingles), toxins, alcohol abuse, and some medications.
Warning signs of peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy can undermine motor, sensory, or autonomic function in the affected leg/feet or arm/hand nerves. Here are the top seven warning signs to look for:
1. Muscle problems
Problems in your muscles like cramps, muscle weakness, and paralysis can result from damage to peripheral nerves.
2. Muscle atrophy
Losing connection within a nerve network leads to localized muscle shrinkage, causing weakness and deformity often in the affected arms, hands, lower legs, or feet.
3. Tingling and numbness
Problems with nerve signals to the brain can lead to a tingling sensation, a lack of sensation (numbness), or a combination of the two.
4. Pain
Nerve signal malfunctions cause many problems, including hypersensitivity to pain (allodynia), a greater intensity of pain (hyperalgesia), or spontaneous bouts of pain.
5. Imbalance
Scrambling of nerve signals can also confuse parts of the body, leading to issues with balance and coordination.
6. Blood pressure changes
If the nerve damage affects autonomic functions, it can throw proper blood pressure (BP) out of balance, leading to BP spikes or dips when you do something as simple as standing up.
7. Sexual dysfunction
Another autonomic dysfunction this neuropathy can cause is sexual, undermining arousal, sexual sensation, and the ability to get erections in men.
Peripheral neuropathy treatment options
Peripheral nerve damage can be treated using a number of methods, including medications, therapies, and if necessary, surgery. Pain relievers, topical creams, anti-seizure drugs, and antidepressants can ease mild to moderate neuropathy symptoms for many people.
Spinal cord stimulation, scrambler therapy, and physical therapy can reduce moderate to severe neuropathy symptoms in different ways. Neuropathy that compresses nerves may require surgery if the problem doesn’t respond to other treatment options.
Peripheral neuropathy can be serious, but it’s also treatable — and we’re here to help. Call or click online to schedule an appointment at Irfan Lalani, MD, PA, in Sugar Land, Texas, today.