- One of the most common causes of neuropathy is diabetes, which reduces blood flow to the extremities and damages nerves in the hands, feet, arms and legs. Injuries and trauma can produce neuropathy along with exposure to industrial toxins and some types of chemotherapy.
- The symptoms of neuropathy vary depending on the nerves that have been damaged. The most common symptoms are numbness and tingling of the hands and feet caused by damage to the sensory nerves. Neuropathy affecting nerves that control motor skills can result in loss of coordination, muscle fatigue and weakness. Neuropathy affecting autonomic nerves can result in a loss of bladder control, abnormal heart rate and constipation.
- Another common symptom of neuropathy is neuropathic pain. The pain is often severe and feels like an electrical shock or a burning sensation. Pain is also produced in reaction to mild heat and cold as the damaged nerves send exaggerated signals to the brain. Neuropathic pain can affect any part of the body but most commonly affects the hands and feet, making it difficult to control.
- Neuropathic pain typically doesn't respond well to regular analgesics but researchers have found alternative ways to relieve pain. Anti-seizure medications initially designed to control seizures in epileptics have proven to be an effective treatment along with some anti-depressants, which inhibit pain sensors in the brain and spinal cord. Local anesthetics like lidocaine patches also provide effective relief.
- Unfortunately, neuropathy is not a reversible condition but it can be controlled and treated. People with diabetic neuropathy and keep it from getting worse by keeping a close check on blood sugar levels. And people with neuropathic pain have a number of treatment alternatives available that don't involve the use of opiates or other narcotics. The number of cases of neuropathy is expected to increase in the near future as the growing number of people with diabetes develop it as a complication of the disease.
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