Before discussing what causes neuropathy it is first important to understand what neuropathy is. Neuropathy is the pain and numbing sensation that people get in their feet and hands due to damage to the nerves in the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is the area of the nervous system that is on the outside of the brain and also located in the spinal cord.
When a person has neuropathy, they may notice that they not only have numbing and pain in the hands and feet but they may also have problems controlling the movement of the muscles in their limbs. They may also experience trouble feeling hotness, coldness or things touching their skin. The pain that is usually felt is burning and tingling. It can also be described as more uncomfortable than actual pain in some people. If a person has a case of autonomic neuropathy then they may experience problems with their internal organs and not only their hands and feet. Internal organs that can be affected are the bladder, intestines, heart, or blood vessels.
There are a few different causes of peripheral neuropathy. Some of the causes can be remedied and therefore the neuropathy can be healed. However there may be a few conditions that cause neuropathy that may be a chronic. Diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, making up almost half the cases of known neuropathy. Close to 50% of diabetic patients will end up with some form of neuropathy, whether mild or severe.
The other half of neuropathy cases are made up of a few other conditions. Trauma to the nerves from an accident, surgery or using repetitive motions are common causes of neuropathy. Alcohol abuse can also lead to neuropathy as can nutritional deficiencies. Many people who lack important nutrients such as the B vitamin will notice increased neuropathy symptoms. Luckily this is a form of neuropathy that can be easily treated. Having a tumor that is pressing against important nerves can also cause neuropathy and many times can be surgically removed to get rid of the symptoms. Some chronic conditions that may cause neuropathy include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. These are auto-immune diseases and although they can be managed they are never fully cured, therefore the neuropathy may be a constant side effect. AIDS patients may experience neuropathy as can many patients suffering from liver, kidney or thyroid disorders. Toxins, poisonous chemicals and some medications may also cause neuropathy symptoms. Most of the time the symptoms will fade once the toxins, chemicals or medications are no longer found in the body. Unfortunately there are also cases of neuropathy where there is no cause found. In these cases the neuropathy is referred to as idiopathic neuropathy.
For people who may have recently began experiencing symptoms of neuropathy, without any known medical condition, they should schedule an appointment with their doctor to discuss what could be causing their symptoms. There may be a medical condition that is contributing to the new symptoms or it could be a case of idiopathic neuropathy. Either way, your symptoms cannot be treated or resolved until a diagnosis has been made.
Neuropathy can really interfere with your everyday living and activity level so getting numbness and pain in your hands and feet checked out as soon as symptoms begin is extremely important. Allowing nerve damage to go untreated can cause the symptoms to progress and worsen over time. Thankfully, there are treatments that can be very successful in eliminating neuropathy in many people. Do not waste any time talking to your doctor about what options may help you.
Last updated on Dec 20th, 2009 and filed under Neurological Disorders. Both comments and pings are currently closed.