Prime Health Solutions

Neuropathy, a result of damage to your peripheral nerves, often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet. It can also affect other areas of your body.

Your peripheral nervous system sends information from your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) to the rest of your body. Neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes is diabetes mellitus.

People with neuropathy generally describe the pain as stabbing, burning or tingling. In many cases, symptoms improve, especially if caused by a treatable condition. Medications can reduce the pain of neuropathy.

Every nerve in your peripheral system has a specific function, so symptoms depend on the type of nerves affected. Nerves are classified into:

• Sensory nerves that receive sensation, such as temperature, pain, vibration or touch, from the skin
• Motor nerves that control muscle movement
• Autonomic nerves that control functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, digestion and bladder

Signs and symptoms of neuropathy might include:

• Gradual onset of numbness, prickling or tingling in your feet or hands, which can spread upward into your legs and arms
• Sharp, jabbing, throbbing, freezing or burning pain

• Extreme sensitivity to touch

• Lack of coordination and falling

• Muscle weakness or paralysis if motor nerves are affected

If autonomic nerves are affected, signs and symptoms might include:

• Heat intolerance and altered sweating
• Bowel, bladder or digestive problems
• Changes in blood pressure, causing dizziness or lightheadedness

In the past, doctors would check 18 specific points on a person's body to see how many of them were painful when pressed firmly. Newer guidelines don't require a tender point exam. Instead, a fibromyalgia diagnosis can be made if a person has had widespread pain for more than three months — with no underlying medical condition that could cause the pain.

Blood Tests

While there is no lab test to confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, your doctor may want to rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms. Blood tests may include:

• Complete Blood Count
• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
• Thyroid Function Tests

Neuropathy has many potential causes. Besides a physical exam, which may include blood tests, diagnosis usually requires:

• A full medical history. Your doctor will review your medical history, including your symptoms, your lifestyle, exposure to toxins, drinking habits and a family history of nervous system (neurological) diseases.
• Neurological examination. Your doctor might check your tendon reflexes, your muscle strength and tone, your ability to feel certain sensations, and your posture and coordination.

Your doctor may order tests, including:

• Blood tests. These can detect vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, abnormal immune function and other indications of conditions that can cause neuropathy
• Imaging tests. CT or MRI scans can look for herniated disks, tumors or other abnormalities
• Nerve function tests. Electromyography records electrical activity in your muscles to detect nerve damage. A probe sends electrical signals to a nerve, and an electrode placed along the nerve's pathway records the nerve's response to the signals (nerve conduction studies)
• Other nerve function tests. These might include an autonomic reflex screen that records how the autonomic nerve fibers work, a sweat test, and sensory tests that record how you feel touch, vibration, cooling and heat.
• Nerve biopsy. This involves removing a small portion of a nerve, usually a sensory nerve, to look for abnormalities.
• Skin biopsy. Your doctor removes a small portion of skin to look for a reduction in nerve endings.

Neuropathy risk factors include:

• Diabetes mellitus, especially if your sugar levels are poorly controlled
• Alcohol abuse
• Vitamin deficiencies, particularly B vitamins
• Infections, such as Lyme disease, shingles, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis C and HIV
• Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, in which your immune system attacks your own tissues
• Kidney, liver or thyroid disorders
• Exposure to toxins
• Repetitive motion, such as those performed for certain jobs
• Family history of neuropathy

Manage underlying conditions

The best way to prevent neuropathy is to manage medical conditions that put you at risk, such as diabetes, alcoholism or rheumatoid arthritis.

Make healthy lifestyle choices

For example:

• Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein to keep nerves healthy. Protect against vitamin B-12 deficiency by eating meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy foods and fortified cereals. If you're vegetarian or vegan, fortified cereals are a good source of vitamin B-12, but talk to your doctor about B-12 supplements
• Exercise regularly. With your doctor's OK, try to get at least 30 minutes to one hour of exercise at least three times a week
• Avoid factors that may cause nerve damage, including repetitive motions, cramped positions, exposure to toxic chemicals, smoking and overindulging in alcohol