peripheral nerve answered- causes and treatment of peripheral neuropathy -what is the top neuropathy treatment?

Peripheral neuropathy, like its more generic base name neuropathy is a blanket term for a neurological disease that affects the peripheral nerveor peripheral nervous system of the human body.


The primal initial symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can vary from individual to individual, but some common symptoms have come to be recognized as indicative of peripheral neuropathy, and anyone experiencing these symptoms should certainly see their primary care physicians. Primary symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:


·       Numbness, tingling, abnormal sensations or pain in the feet.
·       Some report the sensation of wearing socks when they are barefoot.
·       Over time, the sensation spread to the legs and hands.
·       It becomes harder and harder to walk, with legs feeling heavy.
·       Balance decreases as the awareness of where the feet are decreased.
·       As the hands become numb, it becomes harder to hold items and more objects dropped on a routine basis.

There are many differing causes of neuropathy, and most of these causes find their way into the name of the particular neuropathy a sufferer is experiencing. There are also mysterious neuropathies that seem to have no cause whatsoever and simply manifest out of the blue. These account for about 30% of neuropathy. Some causes of neuropathy include:

·       Cancer- related neuropathy, brought on by the compression of nerves due to tumors or by effects of chemicals of by the effects of chemicals used to treat the cancer.
·       Compressive neuropathy, also known as entrapment neuropathy, caused by the compression of the nerves due mechanical means. This may stem from an accident or injury, a tumor or other form of mass that presses down upon the nerves or impairs their ability to operate correctly. Carpal tunnel syndrome can technically be considered a compressive neuropathy.
·       Diabetic neuropathy, which is the largest cause of neuropathy in the western world.
·       Drug induced and toxic neuropathy, brought on by the destruction or impairment of nerves due to chemical exposures of one sort or another.
·       Infectious diseases, immune conditions, and heredity can also play their parts in causing neuropathic conditions.

Treating neuropathy, while not difficult, is also not very effective. While there are forms of neuropathy that can be cured- such as a compressive neuropathy that is resolved when the compression of the nerves is relieved, as long as the nerves have not been permanently damaged-most cannot.

Those afflicted with neuropathy must learn to cope with their disease at this point. Most therapy for peripheral neuropathy is aimed at treating the underlying disease that has caused the neuropathy, and also improving neuropathic symptoms with the right medications.


Research continues unabated for a solution to this debilitating and sometimes even fatal disease that affects up to 20 million Americans on a daily basis. Visit our peripheral nerve pain website to learn more about peripheral neuropathy and neuropathy symptoms.

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