What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy occurs following damage to nerves outside the spinal cord and brain....this condition affects the hands and feet and sometimes other parts of the body....this condition can lead to pain, tingling and numbness. Peripheral nerves in the body are responsible for receiving and delivering information from the central nerves.... This disease can affect all types of nerves.... In fact, one or more nerves may be affected at the same time. Examples of peripheral neuropathy - Neuralgia after herpes; This complication can occur after shingles and remains after months and the disappearance of skin complications. - ulnar nerve palsy; When the elbow is injured. - carpal tunnel syndrome; This complication occurs when the wrist nerves are under pressure. - Bell's palsy; This is a type of mononeuropathy that only affects the face. - Peroneal nerve palsy; Occurs by putting pressure on the fibular nerve in the lower leg.. For more information, read the article on foot drop. Getting to know the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy The symptoms of neuropathy are different depending on its type... Different types of neuropathy have been identified, which are generally divided into categories, each category having specific symptoms. ### Sensory neuropathy This involves the sensory nerve, it actually affects the sense of temperature, pain and touch and causes such symptoms: - reducing the sensation of vibration and touch - Tingles and sensitivity more than usual - Inability to recognize changes in heat and cold - Problem in balance - Increasing pain or lack of perception of pain shooting pain and burning that is worse at night, especially in people who develop peripheral neuropathy following diabetes.. Sensory neuropathy can lead to foot and leg ulcers, infection and gangrene. ### motor neuropathy This condition affects the muscles that the brain controls and causes symptoms such as: - Muscle weakness such as instability and difficulty doing small tasks such as buttoning a shirt - shrinkage of muscles - Cramps and muscle contractions - Muscle movement analysis ### Autonomic neuropathy Other parts that the brain controls involuntarily are disturbed and the patient feels such symptoms: - Problems related to blood pressure - Disturbance in swallowing - Problem with bowel or bladder control - Heat intolerance - Difficulty sweating cause of peripheral neuropathy Many types of neuropathy are idiopathic or have an unknown cause, but many conditions play a role in its development, as follows: - chronic kidney disease; If the kidney function is not normal, it leads to an imbalance of chemicals and salt and finally causes peripheral neuropathy. - injury; Bone fractures and tight casts can put pressure directly on the nerves. - infection; HIV infection, shingles, Lyme disease, and viral diseases can cause nerve damage. - Some types of cancer, including multiple myeloma and lymphoma, can play a role in this complication. - some autoimmune disorders; Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are included in this category - And finally, chronic liver disease is another possible cause of this complication. Other possible reasons are: - Lack of vitamin B12 or folate - Some drugs such as chemotherapy and drugs related to HIV treatment - excessive consumption of alcohol - Exposure to toxins such as insecticides Also, the disorder of small blood vessels causes a decrease in blood supply to the nerves and eventually leads to nerve tissue damage.. Some benign tumors also affect nerve tissue and lead to neuropathic pain Diabetic neuropathy Diabetes is one of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy... In fact, about 70% of people with diabetes experience some form of nerve damage... Foot problems and ulcers occur after diabetic neuropathy. When blood sugar is high, it damages the walls of the small blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves at the ends of the arms, legs, and vital organs of the body such as the kidneys, eyes, and heart. Whenever the skin is damaged, anesthesia increases the risk of injury. How to diagnose the disease As we said, this disease has different symptoms that the doctor diagnoses the cause of the disease according to the symptoms and medical history of the patient. In the next step, a physical and neurological examination is performed for the patient, it is recommended to perform tests to check nerve conduction speed and electromyography. By performing this test, the nerve signal strength and electrical activity are measured... If necessary, the doctor also performs a nerve biopsy. For some types of neuropathies, such as nerve compression, the patient may need an MRI or CT scan. Another option is muscle and nerve ultrasound. If the doctor diagnoses neuropathy, the next step is to look for its cause.... At this step, the doctor prescribes a blood test for the patient to check for diabetes. Generally, a doctor looks for problems such as vitamin deficiencies, infections, liver or kidney dysfunction, metabolic disorders, or any immune cell problems that may indicate an immune disorder. In some cases, the doctor also prescribes a test to rule out a genetic disorder... If none of these cases show the cause of the problem, additional tests are considered for the patient. Familiarity with therapeutic solutions Treatment is usually different depending on the underlying cause, or in general, the goal of treatment is to relieve pain and prevent further damage.... Among the therapeutic solutions, the following can be mentioned: - In order to maintain nerve health and maintain a healthy lifestyle, include daily exercise, healthy eating, eliminating vitamin deficiency, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting alcohol and smoking in your program. - To prevent further nerve damage, you need to control your blood sugar. - If the cause of the complication is an autoimmune disorder, immunosuppressive drugs should be taken or plasmapheresis should be performed to reduce inflammation. - Avoid exposure to the suspected toxin or stop taking problematic medications to prevent further nerve damage. - Use arm and leg braces or orthopedic shoes to deal with physical disability caused by movement symptoms. mononeuropathy treatment solutions - When peripheral neuropathy occurs following nerve compression, regardless of which nerve is involved, the same treatment is considered. - Complications such as ulnar, radial or peroneal nerve palsy are usually temporary... especially if you avoid the irritating factor, it will be treatable.... For example, people with ulnar nerve palsy should not lean on the affected elbow. - A person may need to rest, use a warm compress, or take a limited course of medication to reduce inflammation. - In people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the treatment that is considered for this group of people is wrist splinting, taking prescribed oral drugs or injecting corticosteroid drugs. If single-nerve neuropathy does not improve with any of the non-surgical methods, the patient may eventually undergo surgery. If the pressure is constant, for example, when the cause of the tumor is a complication, surgery is necessary.... If you feel severe pain, be sure to visit a pain specialist for examination and treatment. Home Remedies for Peripheral Neuropathy If you are planning to do home remedies, we recommend the following: - Using hot or cold compresses (if heat or cold does not worsen the symptoms) - Stress control and complementary solutions such as meditation, relaxation techniques, massage and acupuncture for pain control - Using the electrical nerve stimulation device through the skin