Neuropathy is a
medical
condition in
which a person
suffers from
peripheral nerve
damage
associated with
an underlying
disease.
Neuropathy is
not a disease
itself but it is
diagnosed in
many people for
whom no
pre-existing
cause can be
determined.
The four
major forms of
nerve damage are
poly neuropathy,
autonomic
neuropathy,
mononeuropathy,
and mononeuritis
mulitplex. The
most common form
is peripheral
polyneuropathy,
which mainly
affects the
peripheral
nerves in the
feet and legs.
Less than 3% of
the world's
population is
affected but is
found that over
half of the
people suffering
from diabetics
will develop
some degree of
nerve damage.
The symptoms of
neuropathy are
usually the only
method of
diagnosis.
Symptoms may
involve tingling
sensations
similar to
decreased
circulation in
the extremities
such as numbness
or even and pins
and needles. A
person's limbs
may feel
alternately
burning hot and
icy cold,
accompanied by
sharp or dull
pain and muscle
fatigue. These
feelings are
associated with
reduced fine
motor
coordination,
possibly leading
to paralysis in
extreme cases.
The body's
nervous system
contains many
sensitive paths
along which the
body can relay
electrical
information
between the
senses and the
brain. One
system of nerves
branches out
from the spinal
cord to sense
things like
movement, pain,
tactile
sensation,
temperature,
etc. When
damaged, these
functions become
scrambled or
have reduced
sensitivity.
Something goes
wrong in some
part of the
nerve. Perhaps
it's in the
membranous
lining of nerve
cells in which
axons float. Or
it could be in
the axons
themselves,
which are
connectors
responsible for
transferring the
electrical
impulses from
one cellular
body to the
next. Even the
nerve cells can
get injured.
It is easy to
diagnose
neuropathy based
on the pain
suffered by a
patient but it
is difficult to
treat because
neuropathy is so
commonly
idiopathic,
which means the
doctor doesn't
know why the
patient has
developed
peripheral nerve
damage. However,
some of the
causes
identified
include
malnutrition,
repetitive
motion resulting
in carpal tunnel
syndrome, herpes
virus, HIV/AIDS,
exposure to
toxins such as
alcohol and
inherited
genetic
disorders. When
a doctor can
identify one of
these causes,
they can treat
the pain at the
source by
correcting
malnutrition or
treating
diabetes for
example.
Unfortunately,
if the
neuropathy is
idiopathic, the
only available
treatment is
ongoing,
temporary pain
management
usually with
pharmaceutical
products.
Researchers are
still pursuing
many paths of
study to better
understand the
process that
leads to such
widespread
neuropathy.
