Neuropathy
What is Neuropathy?
Neuropathy is when nerve damage leads to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or more parts of your body.
What causes Neuropathy?
There are many known causes of neuropathy, including:
- Diabetes
- Guillain-Barre syndrome
- certain infections, including HIV infection and AIDS
- long-term alcohol abuse
- chemotherapy and radiotherapy
- vitamin deficiencies
- some medicines
- tumors
- pressure on a nerve
- thyroid problems
Types of Neuropathies
- Autonomic neuropathy occurs when the nerves controlling automatic bodily functions are damaged, affecting processes like digestion and blood pressure regulation.
- Diabetic neuropathy, a result of diabetes, commonly impacts the nerves in the hands and feet, as well as those involved in automatic bodily functions. Diabetic neuropathy is the most common complication of diabetes mellitus, affecting as many as 50% of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Peripheral neuropathy affects the outer parts of the body, such as the feet, legs, hands, and arms.
- Focal or mononeuropathy affects a single nerve, like in carpal tunnel syndrome and Bell’s Palsy
What are the symptoms of neuropathy?
The symptoms depend on the nerves involved.
Neuropathy can cause abnormal sensations in your affected body area, such as:
- Pain, which is often worse at night
- Numbness
- Tingling, or ‘pins and needles’
- A burning sensation
- Electric shock-like sensations
Neuropathy can also cause:
- Muscle weakness
- A loss of movement or function
- Problems with balance
Autonomic neuropathy can cause problems with:
- Digestion (for example, feeling full faster when eating)
- Bowel function (including diarrhea or constipation)
- Bladder function
- Sexual response (for example, erectile dysfunction)
- Sweating
- Feeling light-headed
When should I see my doctor?
See your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of these symptoms:
- Numbness
- A tingling or prickling feeling in your skin, especially feet and hands
- A feeling of extra sensitivity to light touch
- Weakness
- The trouble with your co-ordination or walking
- Pain that feels like burning or electric shock-like sensations in feet and hands or any other part of your body