Neuropathy

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Hi Rick, here's some information on Neuropathy.

ABOUT peripheral NEUROPATHY: Symptoms and Signs

While every person's experience with peripheral neuropathy can be as unique as

the individual, there are some common neuropathy symptoms and signs.

At first, you may notice numbness, tingling, abnormal sensations, or pain in

your feet. Some people feel like they have socks on, even though they are

barefoot. Over time, this feeling spreads to your legs and hands.

You may find it harder and harder to walk. Your legs feel heavy. You have to

drag yourself up the stairs. You find yourself losing your balance, not being

exactly sure where your feet are; so, you stumble into things or fall. To keep

your balance, you are likely to widen your way of walking, and your walking

becomes less rhythmic or fluid.

As for your hands, you think you have a good grip on something, like your keys,

but they drop right out of your hands. In the worst cases, you can end up in a

wheelchair. Some neuropathies can be fatal.

Peripheral neuropathy symptoms and signs can vary in how they begin. Some

neuropathies come on suddenly; others gradually over many years. There are three

types of peripheral nerves affected, and symptoms depend on these nerves and

their location:

1.. Sensory Nerves: affect sensation

2.. Autonomic Nerves: affect internal organ functions; and,

3.. Motor Nerves: affect muscles.

Many types of peripheral neuropathy affect all three types of nerves to various

degrees, but some affect only one or two.

Here are some peripheral neuropathy symptoms and warning signs as described by

patients:

Weakness in the Arms or Legs

Legs: Usually caused by damage to the motor nerves, leg symptoms often include

difficulty walking or running; a feeling of " heaviness " in your legs; finding it

takes a lot of effort just to climb the stairs; stumbling or tiring easily.

Muscle cramps may be common.

Arms: In the arms, you may find it difficult to carry groceries, open jars, turn

door knobs or take care of your personal grooming. A common frustration is

dropping things.

Numbness, Tingling and Pain

Sensory nerves, when damaged, can cause various symptoms. Early on, there may be

spontaneous sensations, called paresthesias, which include numbness, tingling,

pinching, sharp, deep stabs, electric shocks, or buzzing. These sensations are

usually worse at night, and sometimes become painful and severe.

You may also experience unpleasant abnormal sensations when you touch something,

sensations called dysesthesias because they are caused by stimuli.

Or, you may find yourself feeling nothing at all, in this case experiencing

anesthesia, a lessening or absence of sensation.

Impaired Sense of Position

When you lose the ability to " sense " or feel your feet, you may find yourself

being uncoordinated because when you walk because you are not sure about the

placement of your feet. Patients may find themselves walking differently

without really knowing how or why they are doing so. Chances are they have

either widened their style of walking (in an unconscious effort to keep their

balance) or they may be dragging their feet.

" Glove and Stocking Sensation "

This phrase describes what doctors call a patient's odd feeling of wearing

stockings or gloves or slippers when, in fact, the patient's hands and feet are

completely bare.

Symptoms of Autonomic Damage

When it occurs, autonomic nerve damage can potentially cause: a drop in blood

pressure and, consequently, dizziness when standing up; intestinal difficulties

such as constipation or diarrhea; sexual dysfunction; thinning of the skin (with

susceptibility to bruising and poor healing), and other symptoms.

Hope this was helpful. Be sure to talk with your doctor about any burning you

may have in your feet.

Ricky Joe