Peripheral Neuropathy: Signs, Symptoms, And What To Know

Chronic pain can have a myriad of underlying causes, and one of these broader medical conditions is peripheral neuropathy.

Caused by damage to nerves outside of the brain and the spinal cord, which are also known as peripheral nerves, this condition can have a range of mysterious side effects. This can make it initially hard to diagnose, especially without a specialist’s care.

So what should you know about peripheral neuropathy? How do you know if you are at risk of this fairly common condition? The basics and the signs to watch out for are listed below.

Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

Like many causes of chronic pain, peripheral neuropathy can occur as a result of several different factors. It can result from:

• Varying traumatic injuries, like a car or on-the-job-accident
• An infection
• Metabolic issues
• Exposure to varying toxins
• Diabetes, which is one of the most common roots of peripheral neuropathy

What Peripheral Neuropathy Entails

Patients who have been diagnosed with this condition generally report a burning, tingling, or even a stabbing pain in a specific area of the body, or sometimes throughout the body. Symptoms can improve, or come and go, or the pain can be chronic and regular.

Side Effects of Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy can have a wide range of side effects, which is one of the reasons why it can be challenging to diagnose by a general practitioner.

These side effects can include the following:

• Numbness, weakness, or tingling sensations throughout the body, especially in the hands and feet
• A sharp, throbbing, or burning painful sensation
• Pain that occurs during typical activities, such as walking or changing sleeping positions
• A lack of coordination and reports of falling or tripping
• Feeling week and lethargic
• Excessive sweating or intolerance to heat
• Changes in blood pressure
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

Note that not all patients will experience the above symptoms, or may experience a handful of symptoms at different times.

When to Consult a Physician

You should contact a doctor as soon as you start to notice tingling or weakness in your hands, feet, arms, and legs, or if you have a recently-appeared pain that has not gone away on its own after a few ways.

What Can Be Done About Peripheral Neuropathy

The good news about peripheral neuropathy is there are long-lasting solutions that go miles beyond prescription painkillers, (which only treat the symptoms), or invasive surgeries with days or even weeks-long recovery times.

If you are concerned with chronic pain, contact the professional and caring team at ACellerated Interventional Orthopedics. We have years of experience finding real and long-term solutions to all sorts of root causes of chronic pain.

And we have several options when it comes to noninvasive treatment plans that will provide you with well-deserved relief.

Contact us today. We will work together to ensure you can both identify and find the right solution for your specific case of chronic pain.

Resources

• Image attribution
• Nimh.nih.gov
• Psycom.net
• Mayoclinic.org
• Samhsa.gov