Neurology diagnoses and treats disorders of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, as well as thought and memory.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
The clinical presentation of peripheral neuropathy is highly variable, depending on which types of nerve fibers are damaged. The symptoms often follow a “length dependent” pattern, meaning they appear first in the longest nerves of the body. Consequently, symptoms typically manifest in the toes and feet before progressing up the legs and eventually affecting the hands.
Sensory symptoms are usually the earliest and most bothersome complaints. Damage to the large sensory fibers results in a loss of vibration sense and proprioception (position sense), leading to numbness and unsteadiness. Patients may feel as though they are walking on cotton or wearing thick socks when they are barefoot.
Small fiber damage produces positive sensory symptoms, which are often painful. This includes burning, stabbing, or electric shock sensations. Hypersensitivity to touch (allodynia) can occur, where even the weight of a bedsheet causes severe pain. Conversely, there may be a complete loss of ability to detect temperature, increasing the risk of burns.
When the motor nerves are affected, the primary symptom is weakness. This usually begins in the small muscles of the feet and toes, leading to toe curling or a high arched foot. As it progresses up the leg, patients may develop “foot drop,” where they cannot lift the front of their foot, causing them to trip.
Muscle atrophy, or thinning of the muscles, occurs because the muscles are no longer receiving electrical signals. Muscle cramping and fasciculations (visible twitching) are also common. In severe cases, the weakness can ascend to affect the hands, making buttons and zippers difficult to manage.
Autonomic neuropathy affects the nerves that control involuntary body functions. This can be life threatening and severely debilitating. Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy can cause the heart rate to stay high at rest or blood pressure to drop dangerously when standing up (orthostatic hypotension), leading to fainting.
Gastrointestinal symptoms include gastroparesis, where the stomach empties too slowly, causing nausea and bloating. Bladder dysfunction is common, ranging from urgency to incomplete emptying. Sweat gland dysfunction can lead to dry, cracked skin on the feet or intolerance to heat due to an inability to sweat.
Diabetes is the single most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Chronic high blood sugar damages the nerves through multiple biochemical pathways. However, other metabolic conditions are also major risk factors. Kidney disease allows toxic waste products to accumulate in the blood, leading to uremic neuropathy.
Vitamin deficiencies, particularly B12, B1, and B6, are critical for nerve health. Alcoholism is a dual risk factor; alcohol is directly toxic to nerves, and alcoholics often have poor nutrition leading to vitamin deficits. Hypothyroidism is another metabolic state that can lead to fluid retention and nerve compression.
Exposure to certain toxins can destroy nerve tissue. Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy is a major side effect of cancer treatment, often limiting the dose of life saving drugs. Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic are potent neurotoxins. Industrial chemicals and solvents also pose a risk.
Infectious diseases can attack nerve tissue directly or trigger an autoimmune response. HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, and Leprosy are significant global causes. Hepatitis C can cause neuropathy through the formation of cryoglobulins that block blood flow to the nerves.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
This is a common feature of neuropathic pain; with fewer distractions at night and the body’s daily cortisol levels dropping, the brain perceives the damaged nerve signals more intensely.
Foot drop is a weakness in the muscles that lift the foot, causing the toes to drag on the ground when walking, which forces the person to lift their leg higher.
Yes, alcohol is directly toxic to nerve tissue, and heavy drinking over a long period typically causes a painful neuropathy in the legs and feet.
Chemotherapy induced neuropathy can improve after treatment stops, but for many patients, some degree of numbness or pain may remain permanently.
This describes the pattern of symptoms that typically starts in the feet (like stockings) and later involves the hands (like gloves), reflecting damage to the longest nerves first.
Leave your phone number and our medical team will call you back to discuss your healthcare needs and answer all your questions.
Your Comparison List (you must select at least 2 packages)
